


Open

by Coconuty93



Series: Truth in the Rose [1]
Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2020-12-24 14:27:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 19
Words: 30,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21100964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coconuty93/pseuds/Coconuty93
Summary: Alternate ending to Ep 81 featuring our fave couple Persephone and Hades. Shameless smut and fluff and angst





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Right now a fluffy one shot but there's potential to make it a series. @porkiswayne thank you so much for being my beta! This is my first dive back into writing so please be liberal with the feedback, but most of all enjoy!

“Kore…do you want to talk about it?”

“...Not really,” she responded, looking down at her feet.

Hades hesitated. Tentatively he placed a hand on her shoulder. “Well, if you ever want to, or you just need me in general, I’m here for you. I mean that.”

“You have a kingdom to run. I don’t expect you to-”

“Little Goddess, you are entrusted to me as long as you’re my intern, and as your friend I will go as far as you will allow me to go to protect you.”

“Hades, I…” she looked up and was surprised by the intensity of his gaze. _Isn’t he still with Minthe? But in Hera’s garden we were so close. Then Apollo had to go and ruin everything. What if Artemis finds his Lyre?_ She shook her head to clear her racing thoughts and tried to focus on Hades’ eyes, “I thank you. But I’m an adult and this is something that I have to do myself and handle on my own terms,” she held her hands up, anticipating his interruption, “I know that I have your support, and I am more than grateful. But I’m the only one that can set me free.”

“Kore…” _Free from what? What happened to her? What has her trapped?_ Hades fought to control the red that was threatening to consume his vision. _This is about her, not how I feel._ “How can I help?”

“Well,” Persephone looked away from him, embarrassed with her request, “you wouldn’t happen to know a good therapist, would you?”

Hades’ expression softened as he gingerly lifted her chin up to look at him. “As a matter of fact, I do. She’s been a great deal of help for me.” Hades noticed her eyes light up just the slightest at his admission. “Yes, the King of the Underworld sees a therapist. Alert the press,” he smirked.

“Whatdoyouseeatherapistfor?” She leaned toward him intently. “I mean, if you feel comfortable sharing…” She shrunk back a little, realizing how invasive she was being right now, “you don’t owe me an explanation, clearly.”

“No, I… I don’t mind talking about it now, especially if it’ll help.” He shrugged, “The events leading up to the Titanomachy and the PTSD afterward made it a bit hard to function. You can see how that would be a problem for someone who has a kingdom to run.”

“But the Titanomachy was thousands of years ago almost...did you always have a therapist?”

“Not really. Just admitting that I needed one took longer than it should have. As you can see, not too many gods are big on therapy, especially not ‘the big three’,’’ he rolled his eyes. He reached into his jacket pocket and gave Persephone a business card. “In case you decide you want to use her.”

“Thank you,” she put the card in her bra.

Hades concentrated on not following her hand and grabbed the steering wheel, “Let’s get you inside.”

“Actually,” Pershephone swallowed, “if it’s okay, I’d rather stay with you. I don’t really know when he’ll be back to get his car, and I don’t really want to be there when he does.”

Hades raised an eyebrow, “I thought Artemis didn’t let men in her apartment.”

“Well she typically doesn’t. But Apollo is her brother so…” Her expression grew solemn as she shrugged.

Hades didn’t want to pry, but he also didn’t want to face the fallout of what would happen once Artemis realized her roommate was gone. He was sure Poseidon would keep Apollo occupied for a while, but based off of the situation earlier, he didn’t want to leave Persephone like this.

“Hades?”

“Sorry, just thinking. To my place we go,” he turned the key and the car zoomed across Olympus.

Persephone watched Olympus blur by as the realization of what was happening finally hit. _Oh. my. Gods. Did I actually ask to go to Hades' Place? And he’s TAKING me? I don’t… I hope he doesn’t think I’m trying to pull anything._ She snuck a glance at him out of the corner of her eyes. She couldn’t help but notice Hades’ chiseled jawline and broad shoulders. She thought about his hands around her waist holding her when Zeus walked in on them in the garden. Blue flowers sprouted around the crown of her head as she thought about what may have happened if they were uninterrupted.

Hades noticed her gaze and grinned before focusing on the road. He chuckled at the blue flower crown as he thought about their interaction in the garden. Quite honestly, this wasn't a terrible end to his day. He touched the flower still tucked into his shirt pocket and smiled. _Seeing the shitty little sun god did put a damper on the mood, and seeing Persephone so uncomfortable around him pissed me off, but hearing her say that she really cares about m- Wait. She said she cares about me. Or “gives a shit about me.” Did she mean that? As a friend, or....? _Hades looked at her and his thoughts slowed down as he saw her peering out of the car window._ It doesn’t matter. Right now all she needs is a friend._

Persephone felt at ease as her surroundings shifted. Sunlit pinks and oranges sharply transitioned into shades of blue and black. She sighed and relaxed in her seat as she left Olympus behind. Soon the car stopped to pick up Cerberus, and Persephone laughed while he barked in excitement and nuzzled her neck. “Hello my good boy!” she greeted him with a scratch behind his ears. He yelped in response, his wagging tail hitting the back seat. “I have something for you,” she made a flower crown of pinks, blues, and greens and he obediently sat still enough to let her put it on his neck.

“Jeez, I never get that warm of a greeting, traitor,” Hades joked, chuckling at the sight of the guard dog of the Underworld subdued by the small, pink goddess of spring. After a few minutes Hades backed into his garage. “How long were you planning on staying? Not that there’s any problem with you being here,” he quickly added, not wanting to put Persephone off.

Persephone looked down at her fidgeting hands, “I don’t want to be a burden. I just need to get my thoughts together and be by myself for a bit, then I’ll be out of your way,” her eyes glazed with unshed tears as she tried to put on a convincing smile.

Hades’ heart broke at the sight of her trying to keep it together. “Kore, you will never be a burden to me. It seems I’ve come to enjoy your company. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like. I just needed to know so that I could stock up on groceries.”

Persephone exhaled a breath she didn’t even notice she was holding. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, grateful for the care and privacy that he was offering her. “I really appreciate this. I promise I won’t overstay my welcome. I don’t want it to be awkward at work,” she smirked. She opened the car door and as soon as she stepped out, Cerberus followed her, climbing into the front seat. She giggled as she saw Hades facepalm, “Oh don’t be like that, he’s being sweet,” she scratched Cerberus’ ears. “Unless...you’re jealous.” She full on laughed as Hades’ expression changed.

“You think I’m jealous of a dog,” his expression was dubious.

“No, I think you’re jealous of _this_ dog,” she replied as she scratched Cerberus’ belly. He was completely on his back, leg bouncing as she scratched his favorite spot.

Hades heard the footsteps of the rest of his dog pack on the other side of the door, "I will never be jealous of a dog," he lied through his teeth, "but I think my other dogs are starting to get excited. Shall we go in?"

"Oh! Yes, sorry," she looked down at Cerberus. "C'mon boy, time to go inside."

Hades opened the door and was bombarded with barks and yelps. Cerberus followed him, joining into the cacophony of dogs. Persephone came in last and closed the door behind her, but not before glancing at Hades corralling his dogs together.

"They're a...bit of a handful to put it lightly," Hades smiled, apologetic. "They're usually pretty hungry by the time I get in. I'm going to feed them in the kitchen, but feel free to get reacquainted with the place," Hades' voice faded as he walked toward the kitchen.

Persephone walked further down the hall remembering the last time she was there. Those circumstances were rather...awkward, but Hades had been a perfect gentleman. _I have nothing to worry about._ She turned down the familiar hall that displayed Hades' artwork, relics, weapons, and spoils of war. _It's still hard to believe that he was involved in all of this. I learned about these events in my history textbook._ Persephone's thoughts were interrupted by the faint scent of herbs and tea wafting into her nose. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her of the sparse meal she had in Olympus. She followed the smell back to the kitchen and came upon Hades with an apron on and his back to her.

"Hungry?" He asked, his back still turned. "I figured the little meal that Hera gave you, if you could call it that, probably left more to be desired."

Persephone sat down at the dining table and thought about her measly meal. Her stomach growled at the mention of food. "Um, yeah I guess I am a little hungry."

Hades turned toward her with a raised eyebrow. "Just a little hungry?"

Her stomach growled again as if responding to him and she looked away, embarrassed, "I guess I'm kind of starving. Gardening is hard work you know."

Hades smirked, "Right, because so much gardening was done today at Hera's."

"Hey. Working with your hands uses a bit more energy than using your powers, even if it's a shorter time," she stuck her tongue out at him. "Besides, if you hadn't distracted me, I would've been more productive."

"Distraction, huh?" He turned toward her with his pan in hand still stirring mixed veggies. "If I remember correctly, somebody rubbed a finger across my back distracting me from Zeus and Hera's arguing."

"I was...killing a bug." She inwardly kicked herself over her terrible lie.

"Oh. Riiiiight," Hades rolled his eyes and shook his head, chuckling to himself. "Now I'll distract you with a meal." Before Persephone could come up with a snarky response, Hades had begun plating her food. The brightly colored zucchini halves stuffed with plum tomatoes, onions, and soy parmesan contrasted with the black plate and her mouth watered at the scents of saffron, thyme, and parsley. Hades watched Persephone as she sat and just took in the aroma of the food. The silence unnerved him. He cleared his throat, "um, well, if you want more there are a couple of halves left in the pan. If it's not to your liking I can-"

"This is delicious!" She interrupted as her bright pink eyes gazed at him. "I don't know if it's because I'm hungry or not, but this is so good."

Hades smiled, taking in the scene of Persephone enjoying herself in his home, eating food that he prepared for her. "Well I'm glad you like it, Little Goddess." _Keep it cool, Hades._

"I have to say, of all the things that I've heard about the King of the Underworld, your cooking skills were not mentioned," she stuffed a forkful of zucchini in her mouth.

"Well everyone doesn't have the pleasure of tasting my cooking," he leaned against the kitchen counter, legs and arms casually crossed. _The love of your life is in your home right now. You will not think about Minthe right now. She missed her chance._

"Hades, everything okay?" Persephone's concern snapped Hades out of his reverie.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I've just had a long couple of days."

"You and me both. Wanna...talk about it?" Persephone hesitated, "sometimes...it can feel better just to talk it out with someone."

"I wouldn't even know where to begin honestly," Hades rubbed his forehead, perplexed about having to deal with his growing list of problems.

"The beginning is usually a good place to start," she quipped, finishing up her food.

"I guess you're right," Hades resigned. He poured two cups of tea and placed them on the dining table before pulling out the chair across from her. "We'll take it from the beginning."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone and Hades open up to each other and a potentially life altering decision is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mention of rape

"It all started with a prophecy,"

"No, no, no," Persephone interrupted, "not _ that _ beginning! I already know about that!"

Hades' eyebrow raised, "uh huh."

"Did you forget that one of your comrades is my mother?"

_ Shit. I did. She would try to kill me if she found out about this. _

"Fair enough," Hades' hand casually waved off the interruption, "though the root of my problems stem from the Titanomachy."

"Problems like what?" 

Persephone's intent gaze unarmed Hades. He wasn't used to having someone so focused on listening to him and his issues, and he was never so comfortable with the thought of opening up to anyone except his therapist, and she gets paid for that. 

"Hmm, PTSD, night terrors, low self esteem, social awkwardness, my penchant for getting into unhealthy rela-" Hades listed off, cutting himself off as he was about to disclose the most relevant of his issues to her. _ It wouldn't be a great idea to disclose my past relationship issues with the girl I'm enamored with. Even if she is a friend. _ "So yeah."

Persephone squinted at the last word that he cut off. _ Why did he cut himself off? I'm sure with everything he's been through he's had an unhealthy relationship or two. Unless he's talking about… he couldn't be! Though he hasn't mentioned her in a while. I've heard rumors around the office that they were a thing but I just thought it was a fling… I won't push it for now. _Once she ended her internal dialogue she noticed Hades looking at her, clearly expecting a response, "I'm sorry, just processing what you're saying. And don't think I didn't catch the last part," she smirked, "but I won't push it if you don't want to talk about it."

Hades breathed a small sigh of relief. He really didn't want to talk to her about it, not right now at least. "Well, as you can imagine, or hopefully you can't, but being eaten by your father and growing up inside of his stomach leaves psychological trauma that runs quite deep." He ran a hand through his hair. "Those were, and still are on some nights, the source of my night terrors." Hades' left hand was on fidgeting with his spoon on the table as he thought about his recent onslaught of night terrors.

Persephone's heart broke at the thought of little Hades being eaten. By his father, no less. She knew her mother's side of the story but never heard any other experiences outside of school textbooks. She put a hand on Hades' fidgeting hand and it stilled as she made eye contact with him. "You're right that it's something that I can't imagine. But I understand what it's like to not have very much control of yourself. Or to have freedom." _ Gods, am I comparing Mama's helicopter parenting to being eaten? _Persephone inwardly groaned, "what I mean is-"

"Is that you empathize," Hades chuckled, watching her expressions change during her internal conflict. "You seem to be good at that. It's refreshing in Olympus," Hades put his hand on top of hers. "Don't let anyone tell you differently."

Persephone blushed as her hair grew the slightest bit past her neck. Small blue buds adorned her temples at his touch. Persephone looked down, hesitant to share her story when it seemed so small in comparison to Hades' trauma. She looked back up at his expression, nervously biting her lip as her eyes watered thinking back over the last few days.

Hades cupped Persephone's trembling pink hand with both of his large blue ones, caught off guard by the unshed tears. He scooted closer to her side wanting to comfort her, but keeping his distance. _ She's strong enough to tell her story without me coddling her. _

Persephone smiled, grateful to Hades for his show of support. Clearing her throat and fighting to maintain her composure, she began. "As you probably know, my mama is quite...overprotective. Actually, more like a helicopter parent. She constantly arranged everything I did, including all of my school activities. She even made me apply for The Goddesses of Eternal Maidenhood scholarship to pay for college. I don't even know if I _ want _ to be an eternal maiden. This seems like a big decision to place on someone who didn't even leave the mortal realm until a month ago!" She threw up her hands in exasperation. Embarrassed at her outburst, she blushed and took a deep breath, composing herself. "Artemis took me in to help me get a little more distance from her. To give me some breathing room. I'm so grateful for a friend like her," she smiled as she reminisced on fond memories of her friend. 

"Having supportive friends can make all the difference," Hades added, thinking about the things that Hecate had gotten him through. "They're great at keeping you grounded and reasonable."

"Exactly! But now I'm worried I'll lose her, especially if she finds out what happened earlier," Persephone looked down, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. _ All I seem to be doing is making enemies _.

"Wait, why? Because Apollo is attracted to you? You're an attractive woman Persephone," Hades stated matter-of-factly. "I'm just being objective," Hades continued when she raised an eyebrow at him. "Everyone at work loves you. Well, everyone that matters anyway," he shrugged.

"What about you?" She challenged. "How do you feel about me?" 

"I, um, well," Hades blushed, his cheeks turning violet, "I give a shit about you."

Persephone groaned, "Ugh don't mock me, you're not good at it," she stuck her tongue out and rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I don't even know if I'll have a home to go back to. Artemis, well, she..."

"Hates me. I'm aware. The wonder twins aren't fond of me. They can take a number," Hades rolled his eyes.

Persephone noticed his defensive tone as he tried to play it off. "Well I don't hate you. Obviously. I guess I'm pretty fond of you. But I still would like to have a home and not have my best friend hate me," her voice thickened as she spoke. She stopped and attempted to clear her throat again, "Apollo...betrayed me. Well, I guess betray isn't a great term to use. You have to trust someone to betray them."

Hades’ head tilted in confusion. "You two weren't a thing? He seems pretty insistent that you ar-were," Hades corrected himself quickly.

Persephone bristled at the thought of his behavior, "No. No we weren't a thing. Ever. And if he understood what consent mea-" she stopped short and covered her mouth at her slip up. The tears finally started falling and her shoulders shook with the sobs that she was trying to withhold.

Hades froze, processing what she said and didn't say. "Kore," Hades swiftly stepped in front of her chair and kneeled, leveling to make eye contact with her. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and cupped her face, "Did Apollo…"

"I didn't want him to," she spoke through her tears. "He told me I was flirting with him and tried to make it seem like it was my fault but it's not! It's not my fault!" Persephone cried, "and then he thinks that he can lay _ claim _ to me? Blackmail me? That asshole!" Her eyes glowed red with fury as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Hades embraced her, engulfing her small, shaking, pink frame with his arms. His own eyes took on a red glow as he held her, partially to keep from flying to Olympus and cutting down Apollo where he stood. _ This isn't about me. This is about her. _"Kore, I'm so sorry this happened to you. Have you told anyone else?"

"Just Eros," she hiccuped, trying to catch her breath as her sobs subsided. "He encouraged me to go to therapy and tell someone once I was ready so that Apollo couldn't get away with this again."

"I thank you for entrusting me with this," he loosened his hug and held her by the shoulders. "This means more than you know. Have you decided how you are going to proceed?" He took her hands in his and placed them in her lap.

Persephone interlaced her fingers with his and looked him square in his red eyes. "Hades," she squeezed his hands emphatically, "I want revenge."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Again shout out to @porkiswayne for being beta. Leave feedback, predictions, feels, etc.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades starts preparing for Persephone's vengeance and got more than he bargained for. Persephone reveals a side of herself that she didn't know existed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Allusion to rape

"Kore, you've been through a lot these last couple of days," Hades frowned, teetering the line between concerned and turned on at the vengeance in her eyes. "Ordinarily, I would jump at the sound of revenge, but I really want you to take some time-" 

"I've taken enough time. Had enough thought. I'm _ tired _ of being afraid of him. I want him to feel everything I've felt. I want him taken down," Persephone declared, "but I am a bit ...inexperienced," she slumped a bit, feeling silly. "I'd like your help."

"I...Hmm...okay," he conceded, "what did you have in mind?" He stood up, looking for a notepad and pen. Upon finding them he sat down in the chair closest to her and put on his reading glasses. 

Even though Persephone could notice the faintest hint of red in his sclera, she still chuckled a bit at how business-like he'd become. "Well, I don't want to kill him." Hades peered at her from over his glasses and sighed. "Look," she held her hands up, "I know you thrive in killing, torture, and death, but I'm not there yet."

"Okay," his eyes lit up the slightest bit when he heard her 'yet', "where are you then?" 

"I want him humiliated. I want him paranoid. I want him to feel what I've been feeling for the last few days. I want him broken. I want him to admit what he did to me and go to trial. I want war," Persephone stood up, strengthened by her conviction. She smiled sardonically, "and I have his lyre."

"Excellent," Hades grinned as his sclera deepened to a blood red. "Now Sweetness, if you want to play the long game, I may need to enlist some people to help. Are you okay with that?"

Persephone sat down, considering her answer. "Who were you thinking of asking?"

"Well," Hades mused, "if it's war you want, Ares may be helpful...though Athena is better with strategy," Hades jotted a note down. "If you decide you want to go the torture route, of course I would be more suitable to assist, but Hecate is a great resource there, as well as with legal counsel when you decide you're ready to go to trial," he jotted down another note, "so the ball is in your court, Kore."

"Will...will you be there? When I meet them? Outside of Hecate I don't really know anyone else...I've met Athena briefly at a Goddesses of Eternal Maidenhood meeting but other than that…" she shrugged, uneasy at the thought of so many people potentially getting involved. _ But I want the best if I'm going to do this right. _

"Of course. Let me know who you want to meet with and I'll make the arrangements. I'll come to every introductory meeting until you feel comfortable enough to come on your own."

"Hades," Persephone's eyes watered, touched by the thought he was putting into this, "thank you for your support and letting me take the lead in this. I knew you would come through for me."

Hades’ focused expression softened at her sincerity, "Of course, Kore. I told you I will go as far as you'd allow to protect you. I'm nothing if not a man of my word."

"Well, with all of the deception and games in Olympus, I'm grateful to have someone that's straightforward and forthright with me," she yawned, starting to feel the events of the day wear down on her.

"Go to sleep, little goddess." Hades' heart fluttered at how adorable she was. "I just have a phone call to make, but I'll be turning in soon myself."

Persephone lazily smiled. "Okay. We'll finish plotting tomorrow," she giggled, feeling lighter at the thought of taking direct action against Apollo "Good night Hades," _ I love you. _She waved and started toward the guest room.

"Good night Kore," he answered. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her as she walked away from him, hips swaying as her shapely legs and pink bare feet barely touched the ground. _ She probably doesn't even notice that she's levitating, h_e chuckled. He gathered his notepad and headed toward his office.

Mid stride he felt his pocket vibrate and answered quickly, "Just who I was about to call. What's up?"

"Just following up on some work stuff. What were you going to call me about?"

"I needed your… assistance," Hades walked into his office and closed the door, careful not to make a sound. 

"What is it?" 

"Not what, who." Hades unbuttoned his shirt and sat in his chair.

"Hades, it's late, why don't you have the Furies take care of this?" Hecate sighed, her patience clearly running thin. 

"Because this requires more discretion," Hades pitch lowered an octave, "and I only trust you to help me carry this out."

Hecate hesitated for a beat. "Who?"

"Apollo."

"Hades…" her voice took on a warning tone. "I know you don't like him, but-"

"No," he interrupted, "this is more than a petty dislike. This is revenge, and rather deserved if I do say so myself." He plopped his feet on his desk. 

"We're still playing with fire. Isn't he Zeus' pet?"

"You leave my brother to me. As of right now I just need you to dust off your legal knowledge. Particularly criminal law."

"Hades, what's this about?" Hecate's tone now curious. 

"It's not my story to tell, but just know that I am helping a… close friend find justice."

Hecate sighed. "Alright boss," she resigned, "I'll get on it and report to you tomorrow."

"Thank you, old friend," his voice more jovial. "Sleep well."

"Mmhmm, you too," she disconnected the call.

Hades, feeling accomplished to get the ball rolling, decided to call it a night. Tempted to think about all of the ways that he could destroy Apollo, he decided to wait until he spoke with Persephone the next day. _ I owe her that much. This is her revenge. _He was walking in the hall heading to his bedroom when he heard a loud crash. Immediately, Ceberus' bark resounded through the walls. Hades sprinted toward the guest room where Ceberus, and now the rest of his dogs were barking and jumping at the door. Hades knocked, "Kore, is everything alright?" Hades hushed the dog pack as he put an ear to the door. "Persephone," he knocked louder, "are you alright?" He heard another crash, the sound of glass breaking. "I'm coming in!" He warned as he materialized into the guest room. 

What he saw struck him with terror and awe.

His little goddess was floating in the air, her eyes red and unfocused, staring at the wall across from her. Her hair had transformed into long, pink vines, slowly taking up space in the room. Hades found the source of the first crash as he saw a figurine of his in pieces on the floor about six feet away. He looked around the room, glowing pink with her power, and noticed that the glass of the patio door was cracked. 

"Get away from me," her voice was magnified in this state and echoed in the room. Hades almost had to cover his ears from the volume alone. "I said, get away from me." Another vine whipped at the patio door and the glass shattered. 

_ She'll wreck my house if this goes on for much longer. _"Persephone," he called to her, reaching out to try and grasp her. She didn't turn toward him but she paused and her eyebrows furrowed. "Kore, please wake up," Hades called, a little louder as he stepped closer to her. "Kore, I'm here, nothing will happen to you here." He leaned in until he could touch her fingertips. To his relief, she didn't attack him or flinch. He reached further and interlocked his fingers with hers. "Kore, it's me. I've got you," he cooed to her.

Persephone squeezed his hand and her hair fell, lifeless and covering the floor. Her eyes closed and her body slowly drifted toward the bed as her power drained out of her. She moaned, still in distress, as Hades tried again to wake her. 

"Kore, wake up love," he gingerly shook her arm. 

Persephone sat up suddenly and her eyes popped open, this time her sclera were white. Her pink eyes searched around the room wildly, tears falling and sweat on her brow. 

"Kore?" Hades whispered, afraid of terrifying her as she woke up. 

"Hades!" She pulled him by the shirt, taking comfort from the warmth of his chest against her. 

Hades held her tight as she sobbed in his arms. He caressed her hair as he soothed her. "You're alright little goddess, I'm here. No one will hurt you here," he rubbed her back. 

She sniffled as she calmed down and leaned away from him. "He tried to do it again. He came back, but this time I stopped him. This time I was strong enough," she wiped her tears and looked around, taking surveillance of the room. "Did...Did I do that?" She pointed at the fragments of ceramic that was once a figurine. 

Hades shrugged. "I'm pretty sure you did, but that was broken before I got here. Now _ that _," he motioned toward the shattered patio door, "I saw in all of its glory."

Persephone's eyes grew wide. "I did that?" 

Hades nodded. "You did."

"I am _ so _ sorry! I'll pay for everything I bro-"

"Kore, it's okay," he held his hands up at her protest, "I hated the figurine anyway, and honestly, seeing you that powerful was enough to cover any damage," he smiled wistfully.

"I was that bad?" Persephone shrunk into herself. 

"Bad?" Hades was incredulous. "Little goddess, you were glorious. What you just showed is the type of power that strikes terror, fear, and awe into whomever may witness it." _ All she was missing was the crown. _Hades blinked twice as the thought crossed his mind. He blushed, neck turning purple as he imagined her ruling at his side. 

Persephone blushed at the sincerity of his statement. "Well, it's too bad that I wasn't conscious when it happened," she picked up the garden scissors that she brought with her and started chopping her overgrown strands, "because I have no idea how to do it while I'm awake."

"Well, if you'd like, we can train you to control that side of you. To command it when needed and alter it to your whim." Hades watched as her hair transformed into pink flower petals littering the floor.

"Hmm," she mused the thought, "I think I'd like that."

“Well, when you’re ready to start,” Hades moved some hair out of her way, “let me know.”

Persephone snipped the last of her hair, immediately feeling lighter. She ran her fingers through her pixie cut and sighed, exhaustion starting to overcome her. She yawned before responding, “I will,” with a ghost of a smile.

“Well little goddess, now that the crisis is averted, it’s time for us to get some sleep,” Hades patted her knee before standing. “If you need anything, let me know,” he turned to leave.

“Hades?” He turned at the sound of her meek voice. “Can...can I sleep in your room tonight?” Her fingers fidgeted with the lace hem of her camisole.

Hades rubbed the back of his head as his cheeks burned. His mind went way beyond just sleeping. As he reined his stray thoughts in, he noticed her watching him, expecting a response. “Sure, Kore, if that’s what you want.”

“Well if it’s a problem, we do-”

“No, no, no, it’s fine,” he interrupted. He cleared his throat. _ Damn that was over eager. _ “If that’s what you need, I’m willing to help,” he smiled. 

“Okay,” she smiled, relieved. She peeled back her covers and stood up, stretching her back out with her arms over her head. 

Hades couldn’t help but sneak a look at how her breasts peeked over the top of her camisole. He gave her a once over, her navel exposed from her stretching, and her lace shorts barely covering the tops of her thighs. _ For a goddess so small, she has legs for days _. His eyes trailed down to her petite, perfectly manicured toes and he groaned inwardly. He noticed her eyes opening and tried to avert his gaze before she noticed.

She noticed. “Hades, is everything okay?”

“Um, yeah. Everything is fine. Follow me,” he walked out.

Persephone followed and tried to match his pace but one of Hades’ strides called for three of her own, and she was too tired to fly. _ Why am I so short? _ She groaned while struggling to keep stride. After a couple of steps she noticed that she had never been down this hall before and she slowed to observe the settings around her. She saw more figurines and paintings. _ He must be an art collector. _

Before long they appeared before a large black door. “Well, this is my room,” he opened the door and held his hand out, giving her unspoken permission to enter. If he was honest with himself, Hades was nervous about having her in his room. It was the only part of his home that she hadn’t seen, and he cared about her opinion the most. He kept it tidy and minimal on a regular basis, but as she was exploring the large space, his eyes scanned the floor for any signs of disorder.

“It’s...huge.” Persephone was surprised. His bedroom was as large as her and Artemis’ entire apartment. Her eyes brightened as she walked over to his desk. It held nothing but the essentials: his phone, wallet, and keys, but just the beauty of it alone held her attention. She had never seen obsidian before and her pink reflection contrasted beautifully against the dark glass. “This desk is beautiful,” she held up a finger to touch, but thought twice about it, not wanting to leave a fingerprint. 

She walked over to a looming bookshelf, each shelf packed to the fullest with tomes of different sizes and languages. She smiled, fingertips fluttering over the books before turning toward the main feature of the room. Her eyes widened at the size of his bed. “There’s enough room for ten of me to sleep here,” she walked toward it and sat on the side, “and it’s like a _ cloud _,” she laid back and moved her arms and legs. 

Hades chuckled, casually leaning on the door frame as he watched her inspect his room. “I hope it meets your expectations,” he joked as he walked in and sat down next to her. “The bathroom is over there,” he pointed at the door across the room, “and my office is across the hall.” He stood up. “I’m going to the bathroom to change.” 

Persephone rolled over until she was on his side of the bed. “Okay,” she spoke, her voice muffled by the pillow her face was burrowing in, “I’ll be here.”

Hades grinned as he walked to the bathroom, slowly shutting the door. _ Okay Hades, you have a goddess that you are _ very _ attracted to in your bed, wrapped up in your blankets with very little clothing on. You _ will _ behave. _ He took off his shoes and socks. _ You will not let your penis dictate how tonight goes. _ He started unbuckling his belt. _ You will get into bed and go to sleep. _ He pulled his navy blue slacks off and removed his shirt. _ She looked so exhausted, she’ll probably be asleep before I get out of here. _ He started brushing his teeth, looking at his eyes in the mirror. They were a faded red and honestly he couldn’t tell if it was from trying to repress his lust or just sheer exhaustion of the night. He sighed as he rinsed his mouth. He looked around the bathroom for his pajamas before remembering that they were in the drawer. In his room. Where Persephone is. He looked at himself in the mirror, ashamed of his stupidity. _ I can’t believe I forgot to bring my pajamas with me. Well, hopefully she’s already asleep. _

Hades carefully opened the door, peeking out. From what he could see, Persephone was splayed out on the bed. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight before remembering the task at hand. He opened the door a little bit wider, tip toeing to his chest of drawers and trying to slide it open without making a sound. As he found a suitable pair of shorts he heard rustling in the bed behind him. He held his breath.

“Hades?” Her voice was faint. She rubbed her eyes, trying to find out if she was dreaming again or not. He slowly turned around to face her. Persephone blinked twice at his tall, muscular physique decorated with faded light blue battle scars and without thinking she spoke, "You're beautiful."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I know this chapter is a little longer. I'll be posting one more this week and then not again until the next week so I wanted to leave you all with something. Next chapter is all aboard the smut train! Again, Kudos and feedback are appreciated, and as always Porkiswayne thank you so much for being the best beta ever.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Sexually Explicit Content
> 
> This is my first time writing smut, so feel free again to give feed back and constructive critiques. PorkisWayne, your creativity and patience with my self doubt on writing this had been amazing. Best Beta ever! Enjoy!

Persephone stared at the figure in front of her, unashamed of her declaration. She noticed his ruffled hair, the most carefree she had ever seen it. His half-lidded eyes made her feel...some kind of way. Her eyes trailed down further as she took in his defined pectorals and biceps. She imagined what they would feel like holding her up. Her pink skin flushed at the thought. Her jaw almost dropped when she got to his defined abs and the v-cut leading into his boxers. Light blue scars covered his front and back and she wanted to commit each one to memory with her hands. And mouth. A little further down and she noticed the thick print in his boxers. She licked her lips before she even realized what she was doing and quickly bit her bottom lip in embarrassment. “I, um,” she sighed, struck speechless.

“Beautiful?” Hades raised an eyebrow. “That’s not a word I’ve heard used to describe me,” he cocked half of a smile. He bent over to put the shorts on before he was interrupted.

“Wait, you...you don’t have to put those on,” Persephone interjected, “unless...unless you want to,” she blushed and looked away. _ Propriety be damned. _

“Are you sure?” Hades hesitated.

“Well, I don’t want you to be uncomfortable in your own bed.”

“But does it make you uncomfortable?” 

“No, I,” she stopped and swallowed, gathering her nerve, “it makes me want to know more, honestly.” She saw Hades’ eyes widened at her forwardness. “I- wait- I, ugh,” she groaned, frustrated with how awkward she was being. “No. No, I’m not uncomfortable. We can sleep like that if you want.”

“Alright.” He walked to the unoccupied side of the bed and laid straight back, arms at his side. _ I don’t want to risk any accidental touches while she’s here. _

“Really Hades?” Persephone stifled a giggle. “I said I want you to feel comfortable in your own room.”

“Well I don’t want you to think I am trying to take advantage, not while you have so much going on.”

“Maybe I want you to,” she met his eyes. “Or maybe I want to.” She fidgeted with her fingers while waiting for his response.

_Is this really happening? _Hades turned onto his side to face her. “Um, well, I’ll let you take the lead on that,” he responded, his voice teetering between nervous and eager. 

Persephone held up a finger and hesitated, waiting for permission. He nodded and she touched one of the light blue scars on his neck. They were faded over the millennia but there was still a slight indentation. She followed the trail with her finger as it crossed his pectoral muscle and ended near his areola. He shivered at the sensation and she looked up, concerned that she had crossed a line.

Hades’ eyes glazed with uncried tears, done in by her gentle caresses. _ In 2,000 years of existence, no one has ever touched me like this. _ It was the first time he felt truly wanted and not just a fling or fulfillment of someone’s dark fantasy. The concern in her eyes warmed Hades’ chest, and before he could think about his next move, his free hand cradled her cheek. Persephone leaned into it, taking in his smokey scent and reveling in his touch. 

Hades smiled and moved his face closer to hers. He stopped an inch short of her lips, waiting for her permission. Persephone closed the gap, planting a soft, brief kiss on his lips. The softness of her lips drew him in and he slowly kissed her again. Persephone leaned into the kiss and bit his lower lip, eliciting a moan from him. Taking this as encouragement, she ran her fingers through his white hair and pulled him closer to her. She teased her tongue against his lips, prodding for entry, and he happily obliged. 

Their bodies were entangled, longing for as much contact as possible. Hades kissed down her neck, inhaling her vanilla and lavender scent. He couldn’t get enough. Persephone keened as he nibbled and licked down her neck, stopping above the swells of her breasts that her camisole left exposed.

“Hades,” she breathed, “this...this feels so good.”

He kissed her ear. “I’m glad, Kore, but I can make you feel better if you let me,” his voice husky with lust. 

She swallowed, the coil of her arousal grew as she started grinding against him.

“Excellent,” he breathed before fervently kissing her plump, pink lips.

Hades swiftly rolled so that she was now on top of him. Damning her need of oxygen, she hesitantly broke away from the kiss and tried to slow her breathing. _ That. was. WOW. _ She looked down at Hades and was pleased that he too had to fight to slow his breath. 

“Kore,” he rasped.

“Hmm?”

"You’re on my stomach, and it’s a little hard to breathe.”

“Oh! Sorry!” She quickly scooted further down. _ Way to go, dork. Now you’ve ruined the mood. _She facepalmed.

Instead of answering, Hades watched her intently, clearly amused with her evident display of conflict. “Everything okay, little goddess?”

She sighed, “yeah, but I probably ruined the mood.”

“No, I can most assuredly tell you that the mood is still very much intact,” his eyes reddened.

Persephone blushed and slightly adjusted her legs. Hades hitched a breath at her movement, then she felt a twitch underneath her. Persephone hadn’t realized how far back she had gone, but now that she knew, she wanted to take full advantage. She moved her hips, slower this time, keeping Hades’ eye contact. He let out a breathy moan and she smirked. She grinded again, putting more of her weight into it and relishing the feel of his girth in between her legs. Hades had been trying to contain himself as she explored him, letting her take the lead, but when she smirked at him he knew she was teasing him. He groaned as he ground his clothed dick against her. He was constricted by his tight boxers and, as her fingers danced along the elastic waist, he wanted to rip them off but he let her undress him, slowly pulling his boxers down his legs.

Persephone paused, eyes brightening at the length and girth of his dick. Seeing him naked was something that she had only fantasized about in the privacy of her bedroom, but now that they were here she had lost some of her nerve. _ How is that supposed to fit in here? _

Hades noticed her concern. “What’s wrong, Sweetness?” He interlaced his fingers with hers. “We don’t have to do this if it’s too much.” 

“No,” she swallowed, “it’s just...I have no idea how that is supposed to fit.” 

Hades chuckled, “very carefully. But we don’t have to do that tonight if you don’t want to.” Hades had to admit, it was quite an ego boost seeing her in awe of him like this. He wanted to make her feel as good as she was making him feel. “Can I touch you?”

“Oh!” Persephone didn’t even think about herself as she was so focused on him. “Yes, you can touch me.”

Hades cupped her cheek as she blushed in anticipation. “Don’t worry little goddess, I’m going to take it slow. If you feel uncomfortable at any time, let me know.”

Persephone nodded emphatically. _ Please touch me _now.

“Do you mind if I...level the playing field?” Hades motioned to the satin pajama set she still had on.

“Oh, ha, y-yes, that’s fine.” Her demure grin played with his heartstrings.

Hades held Persephone’s back as he sat up, making sure she didn’t lose her balance while straddling him. Hades slid the thin straps of her top down her shoulders, covering the exposed skin with open mouth kisses. As he coaxed her arms out of the straps, he kissed them as well from shoulder to wrist. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed each of her fingertips.

Persephone closed her eyes, enjoying the attention that Hades was bestowing on her. In all of her daydreams and fantasies about what a night with Hades would be like, this wasn’t even a thought. She moaned when his fingertips teased her waist as he grabbed the hem of her top. She raised her hands as he tantalizingly pulled her top up, enjoying the sight of her. With a quick pull over her head, she was completely topless. Hades’ eyes brightened as he took her in. Her ample, pink breasts of course drew his attention first, but he continued admiring her soft tummy and curvy hips before realizing she still had her shorts on. _ We’ll have to remedy that. _

Hades’ fingertips traced down her sides and her senses were sensitive to the stimulation. His fingers hooked her waistband and she immediately lifted her hips to aid him in removing them. He chuckled at her enthusiasm until her pink mound of curls were fully exposed and he felt her slick wetness on his dick. He fought his instinct to grind against her so that he could appreciate her properly. 

Hades’ left hand cupped her breast and teased her pink nipples, making her grind against him. He left open mouth kisses around her other breast, taking his time before finally taking her nipple into his mouth. He sucked while his tongue circled around her peak, encouraged by her moans.

“Ha...des,” she moaned, her fingers pulling his hair.

He cupped a full ass cheek with his free hand and ground against her while continuing his ministrations. He groaned as he felt her core grow wetter. Releasing his hand from her breast, he slithered a finger between her legs, searching for her pink bundle of nerves. He dipped a finger into her core and coated it in her arousal before teasing the bud, circling around it and watching her reaction.

“Oh, oh Hades,” her pitch rising an octave. He noticed a crown of blue flower buds growing in size as he continued teasing her clit.

He released his mouth from her breast to whisper in her ear, “do you like that, Sweetness?”

“Ye-yes,” she grinded against his hand, “please don’t stop.”

“I never planned to.” He returned to her breast, licking around her mounds and circling his tongue around her areola. His finger picked up speed around her clit and she ground to meet the increase in pace. His middle finger pulled her hood back and he lightly circled his index fingertips directly on the exposed bud.

“Ha...des!” Persephone moaned, feeling a tingling in her spine that was spreading to her core, “Don’t stop! I, I think I’m about to- to…”

“Come for me, Kore.” He sped his fingers up, enjoying the reaction his fingers were bringing out of her. “Don’t hold back.”

“Oh, oh, Hades!” She screamed, feeling the tingling burst into an explosion of pleasure. She bucked as she rode out her orgasm on his hand.

Hades groaned as he felt the wetness pour out of her. He noticed a sudden burst of floral fragrance and looked up to notice a crown of blue hydrangeas, fully bloomed, her hair long enough to touch his body while she straddled him. Her half-lidded eyes and flushed cheeks increased his arousal. Her heaving breasts teased him as he put his mouth on one and and slowly licked, stoking her lust again. 

“Mmmm,” she leaned into him. “Hades?”

He made eye contact with her in acknowledgement.

“I want,” she paused, distracted by his ministrations, “I want you inside me.”

He removed his mouth, a hand taking its place teasing her nipple. “You sure?”

“Yes,” she spoke, her voice definitive. She. scooted back onto his thighs and grabbed the base of his dick with her small, dainty, pink fingers. She moved her hand up and down his shaft and he groaned. She looked at him, her red eyes mesmerizing him, “you like that?”

“Gods yes!” 

She reached down and fingered her core, coating herself in her juices before returning her hand to his shaft. She moved her hand up and down again, more fluidly as her juices coated his dick.

“Kore,” he breathed as she continued her ministrations. She crawled until her pussy was hovering over his dick. Hades placed his hands on her hips, helping her balance. Her arousal was dripping onto his dick and it took everything inside of Hades not to ram into her. _ She is in control. _

_ Okay, you can do this. _Persephone slowly lowered herself so that his tip was in her folds. She grabbed his shaft and teased him at her opening, warming herself up to somehow fit him inside of her. She lowered herself a little more so that his tip had broached her opening, stopping to adjust. Hades exhaled sharply at feeling her tight core around his tip. He squeezed her hips, fighting for self control.

Persephone lowered herself more so that half of his dick was inside of her. They both groaned simultaneously as he filled her. She hesitated, adjusting to the stretch before lowering herself again, this time to the hilt. Hades moaned as her tight walls squeezed his dick. His eyes rolled upward and he fought the desire to move.

“Mm...are you alright, Sweetness?” He wanted her to feel pleasure more than anything else.

“Yeah, I just have to get used to it for a second,” she wiggled a little, sending pleasure to his spine. 

“Mm...okay. Take your time, love.”

“Okay,” she whispered to herself. She lifted herself a little and moaned as she lowered herself again. _ This feels good. _She lifted again, higher, and slowly lowered herself. Picking up the pace, she balanced herself with her hands on his stomach as she started riding him, relishing in the sensation of him filling her. “Oh, oh Hades,” she moaned.

“Mm...Kore, you’re so beautiful.” He fought to keep his eyes open as she rode him, her voluptuous frame bouncing with each stroke. Her full breasts bounced, teasing him, and he reached up to take one in his mouth. 

Persephone was overcome with the sensations of him inside of her and his mouth at her breast. Soon, she felt his fingers at her clit, rubbing circles while she was riding him. She felt her spine tingling again, stronger this time. “Hades, I’m close,” she whined.

Hades wanted to come with her. He released her breast and gripped her waist in his free hand, the other playing with her clit. His thrusts increased in fervor and she met him just the same. He grunted with each thrust, his scrotum tightening. “Me. too. Sweetness,” he spoke between thrusts. “Where. Should. I-”

“Inside me,” she breathed.

His eyes widened as his stroke slowed, “Kore.”

“Yes, I’m sure Hades,” she breathed, “just don’t stop!”

He immediately sped up to their original pace, both of them on the precipice of their orgasms. Hades pulled out almost completely before ramming into her and he felt her walls spasming around his dick. “Hades!” She screamed, this time coming harder than the last. “Don’t stop,” she commanded as she rode her orgasm. 

“Oh, Kore,” he groaned while her walls squeezed his dick, bringing him to orgasm. He pumped into her with all he had as he came, spilling into her. Still connected, he embraced her and kissed her swollen lips. “Are you okay? Did you enjoy that, little goddess?” He planted soft kisses on her forehead, inhaling the scent of the flower crown in full bloom. 

“Oh, Hades,” she nuzzled his chest, “it was...it was...wow,” she sighed. “I didn’t think I’d be able to enjoy sex after...after what happened,” she sniffled, “thank you.”

Hades tilted her chin up with a finger and gave her a slow, languid kiss. “Kore, you don’t ever have to thank me. I’ve never felt like this with anyone else, and I am loving every minute of it.” He caressed her cheek, “if anything, I should be thanking you for trusting me the way that you have. I don’t deserve it.” A hint of sadness intruded his features as he looked away from her.

“Why not?” Persephone questioned. “You have been nothing but kind to me ever since you found me in your trunk,” she grinned at the memory. “You have respected me as an adult and have been there for me any time I’ve needed you,” she gently touched his cheek, his eyes meeting hers, “and I have been dreaming of the moment that we’d be able to do this. I just never thought it would happen. This still seems too good to be true. I’m waiting to wake up, or for the rug to be pulled from under me” her eyes teared up, a watery smile displaying the sincerity of her statement.

“Kore,” his own eyes glazed with uncried tears, “you surprise me every day with your intelligence, strength, and grace. At work, you keep yourself together andI never knew that you were shouldering such a heavy burden by yourself. I wish… I wish I hadn’t tried to push you away,” he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m so sorry that I made you deal with this by yourself,” a tear streamed down his cheek. “For as long as you will have me, I will never leave you to face anything else alone.” He brought her hand up to his lips. “You have had my heart from the beginning and, if you want me, the old, dusty, King of the Underworld, then I’m yours.”

Persephone’s smile lit up the room as she cradled his face between her hands. “Only if you’ll take this young, naive, village girl.” She gave him a peck on the lips. “We can’t change what happened in the past, but we can focus on the future. Right now though, I’d rather we focus on the present,” she smirked as she curled her leg around his and teased his calf with her foot. 

Hades blinked and when he opened them, his eyes were scarlet red again. “I’m more than happy to oblige.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit more slice of life and normalcy after what happened last night. Hades and Persephone start sketching out who will be involved in her plan for vengeance while someone interrupts....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has been so long since I posted. Had some mental health things and school things that I had to take care of, but I'm glad to be back! 
> 
> As always, Pork, thanks so much for being a phenomenal beta as I sketch out the fic. You da bomb diggity. 
> 
> Also as always, feel free to leave kudos, comments, and feed back. Enjoy!

The next morning, Hades woke up to a beautiful goddess, his little goddess, lightly snoring and curled against his chest. He inhaled, taking in the scent of the flowers still adorning her hair. He took inventory of his room and made note of pink and blue petals covering his floor. He was loathe to clean them and honestly he felt no need to do so. He ran his fingers through her pixie cut, careful not to wake her, and she snuggled closer to him. _ Good thing we cut it short when we were done. Probably would've made sleeping a bit difficult. _ Hades chuckled quietly. 

He felt his stomach grumble and covered it with his hand hoping to muffle the sound. He failed. Persephone peered up at him with a sleepy grin, "someone's hungry."

"Good morning to you too," he pressed a kiss to her forehead, "and you should be hungry as well after last night."

"Nope," she gave him a bright smile before her stomach growled.

"Mmhmm. Right."

"Maybe just a little bit," she blushed, embarrassed at her body's betrayal.

"Well, I can go make breakfast." Hades placed his hands on the bed, preparing to get up.

Persephone gripped him tighter, "Wait, you're so warm. I'm not ready for you to get up yet."

Hades smiled and relaxed his arms, hugging her closer to him. "You sure know how to tug on my heartstrings, don't you?"

"No," she grinned coyly, "I just like to be warm. You're now my personal space heater.''

"Glad to be of service," he gave a two fingered salute. "I can also be your personal chef if you'd let me."

"Chef, huh?" She held a finger to her chin, pretending to be in thought. Her stomach growled again, a little louder this time. "Oh fine, I guess I could use some food," she resigned and slowly unwrapped him from her arms.

Hades immediately missed the contact. He got out of the bed, found and pulled on his boxers, and headed to the kitchen. He had a lot to think about after last night. _ Are we officially together? I never asked...I don’t want another unofficial on-and-off again relationship like I had with Minthe. Ugh. _ He facepalmed. _ Why do I keep thinking of her? We’re over. _ He pulled out flour, sugar, and eggs for the base of his pancake batter. _ I think I feel a little inspired. I wonder what that flower is that she always has at her desk… _ Hades did a quick internet search, pulled out some food coloring and squeeze bottles, and got to work. 

Persephone rolled over onto Hades’ side of the bed, inhaling his crisp, smoky scent from the pillow. She splayed her limbs out and groaned at how comfortable it was. She didn’t get a chance to really appreciate the fullness of it last night and revelled in it. Then she thought about the events of the night before. _ Wow. That was...that was better than I thought. I can’t believe that happened!...Now what? _ Persephone mused before the smell of pancakes and eggs broke her out of her reverie. _ I’ll worry about that later. _ She sat up and looked for something to put on, realizing that she didn't bring any other clothes with her besides her gardening apparel and, well, putting them on again didn't quite appeal to her. She got up and walked to Hades' dresser, rifling through it until she found a plain white t shirt and a pair of boxers. Now that her immediate issue was resolved, she floated to the kitchen and paused when she saw Hades in an apron, intently focused on...drawing? She floated beside him noiselessly, not wanting to break his concentration. 

“Hello, little goddess.”

“...Hi,” she whispered, a little embarrassed that he noticed her. “How did you-”

“I wouldn’t be much of a king if I couldn’t sense your presence,” he looked up at her and smirked, “especially not after becoming so familiar with it...last night…” he blushed as he focused back on the griddle.

Persephone swallowed and blushed, blue flowers budding around her ears. _ At least get some breakfast before going into thirst mode, Persephone. Geez, give it a rest. _ “What are you doing?”

“Give me a minute...and you’ll...see,” he changed tubes, squeezing pink batter into a star shape on griddle. He then changed to a bottle with white batter and squeezed, tracing white petals above the pink. He filled in the petals, overlapping the pink star shape that he traced. Quickly he picked up another tube and squeezed out bright green lines from each of the little flowers he drew, converging in the center of the griddle, “Alright, here we go.” He waited a couple of seconds and carefully flipped the small flowers to keep the stems from breaking. He repeated the steps for 4 more bunches of flowers. “There we are,” he sighed, content with his success.

“Oh...those are honey lilies!” She squealed. “How did you know?”

“I...would see them on your desk at work,” he rubbed the back of his neck. _ Gods I sound creepy. _

“They’re my favorite,” she smiled, serene. “They remind me of home.”

“They are rather familiar, aren’t they? It’s been so long since I’ve been able to sit and...well...smell the flowers.”

Persephone brushed against his shoulders at the terrible pun. “It looks like we’ll have to remedy that.”

Hades grabbed a plate and transferred the lily pancake onto it. “What did you have in mind?”

“Oh, a surprise,” she smirked at his curious expression. “You’ll just have to be patient.”

“Mmhmm,” he scraped eggs from the griddle onto her plate. “Well anyway, your breakfast is ready.” He laid the plate with a mug of green tea on the dining room table. 

Persephone sat in front of her plate and looked at it, first admiring it and then frowning. When Hades placed his own breakfast across from her and sat down, he noticed her expression and immediately stood up. “Is something wrong with it? I can make something else,”

“No, it’s perfect,” Persephone looked up, perplexed.

“Then what’s wrong?”

“It’s _ too _perfect. It looks so pretty that I don’t want to eat it,” she complained. Her stomach growled in disagreement.

Hades chuckled, relieved at the “predicament” that she found herself in. “Sweetness, you’re the Goddess of Spring. A pancake can’t compare to the real thing.” He ate a piece of his own pancake.

“I know _ that _,” she rolled her eyes, “it’s just...I’ve never seen this before. Artemis makes good old fashioned pancakes and I thought that was it. You’ve made it an...art form,” Persephone sat back in her chair, incredulous.

“It’s just something I saw online and thought was cool, so I gave it a shot. I’m not the best, but it’s something fun for me. As much as I appreciate your admiration, you really should eat before it gets cold.”

“You’re right,” she stuffed a forkful of egg in her mouth. “I almost forgot how hungry I was.” She ate her eggs first, wanting to preserve the pancakes for as long as possible. “Oh!” She paused, then ran to grab her phone out of the guest bedroom, “I’ll take a picture of it!” She adjusted the flash and snapped a shot of it, looking pleased at the photo.

“Now will you eat it?” Hades quirked an eyebrow.

“Yes, I will,” she drowned her pancakes in syrup before gingerly cutting the first piece. 

Hades smiled softly, admiring her as she tried to eat so delicately. It was endearing how hard she tried to maintain the flowers, eating the stems first. He laughed when she pouted before cutting into the first petal. Before long, her plate was empty and she leaned back into her chair, relaxed. As much as he was enjoying this scene, he knew that it would be time to get to business or, at the very least, figure out what her immediate next steps are.

“Kore, I hate to be the one to pull us into reality,” his voice was soft, regretful, “but I think it would be a good idea to figure out what your next steps are. I’m sure Artemis must be worried.”

Persephone sighed, “I know, I just...I’m not ready to talk to her.” She looked at her phone.

“You don’t have to give her details, but I think maybe you should at least let her know you’re safe.” Hades placed an encouraging hand on hers.

“You’re right,” she acquiesced, “I’ll let her know that I’m safe and staying with...a friend.” She winked at him before grabbing her phone.

_ To: Artemis _

_ Hey, stayed at a friend’s place last night. Sorry I didn’t give a heads up, my phone has been on the fritz. I may stay another couple of days, but I’ll let you know when I’m on my way back. _

_ Sent: 10:30 _

She turned her phone off and put it face down not wanting to face the barrage of follow up messages that she was sure would come. She knew that she would have to eventually tell her about her brother, but she was afraid that Artemis wouldn’t believe her. _ Her brother’s word over her friend's...I might not know who to believe either if I were in her shoes. But I should tell her before she finds out from him. I just… I don’t know what I would do if I lost my best friend. _

Hades watched Persephone’s expression change, growing sadder with each passing thought. He squeezed her hand gently, “Hey, Kore,” She looked up, startled from her thoughts. “Everything’s going to be okay."

“Yeah...okay,” she nodded, not quite convinced.

“I don’t know if this will get your spirits up, but maybe we should start plotting your vengeance.” Hades’ irises reddened at the mention of it. 

Persephone straightened up a bit. "Where should we start?"

Hades stood up and walked to the kitchen counter, retrieving the notepad from yesterday. He put on his glasses as he flipped to his most recent page. "Well, I remember you mentioning his lyre," he peeked at her from over his glasses, "is that true?"

"Um …. yes," she admitted, fidgeting with her fingers. 

"I never got the chance to ask, but how on earth did you get it?"

"Well, my hair. While you two were… talking, I turned my hair into vines and well, the dummy's window was down so I snuck it out of his car that way, " she grinned, sclera reddening as she relived her triumph. 

_ Gods she's so sexy when she's vengeful, _Hades stared at her, mesmerized. 

"Hades?"

"I'm sorry Sweetness, you're just mesmerizing when you're scheming," he leaned casually on the counter as he admired her. "I wish I could've seen you take it. I hate that thing. Wait, where is it?"

"In your car."

Hades' eyes widened. "Where?"

"Underneath the passenger seat," she shrugged. "I didn't have time to think of a better hiding place."

"Okay," Hades was a little miffed that he was too distracted to notice the sun god's stupid harp in his car. "What are your plans with it?"

"That I don't know." She placed a finger to her chin in thought, "I was thinking about destroying it piece by piece, or using it for leverage."

"Leverage?"

"He took pictures. I'm assuming to possibly blackmail me with. Might as well have something on him. Two can play that game." 

"Okay, we have a good start. Now, I made a call to Hecate- no, I didn't tell her any details," he added before Persephone could interrupt, "she's just going to brush up on some legal things. If we really want to make a statement, we need to use the law so that it's on our side."

"Okay," Persephone nodded in understanding.

Hades continued, "I should hear back from her sometime today. Now, there is the matter of who you want to be a part of your vengeance squad. If you want to play the long game then it'll be helpful to have one."

"Okay," she pondered who she could work with. _ Artemis is goddess of the hunt...but obviously she can't help. I could use Athena's strategic skills but...she's a GOEM...I don't know if she'll be on my side...especially not after...last night. _She snuck a peek at Hades poring over the notepad. 

He looked up and met her eyes. "What are you thinking. Sweetness?"

"Hmm… I was just going through the list. I think I would like Athena's help, but since I'm not a maiden anymore...I don't know if she'd still be willing to help," Persephone bit her lip.

"Kore, Athena doesn't only use her power for maidens," he straightened up, "but she doesn't typically use her powers against other gods. You may have to tell her what happened in order for her to justify going against that."

Persephone bristled, "Yeah, I figured," she snapped. A second later, she recognized her tone. "I'm sorry, I just...it took a while to feel comfortable sharing with you, and I trust you. Having to share with someone who's pretty much a stranger is just…" she sighed. "I guess I'll have to get used to it if I'm going to take this to trial."

"I know it'll be rough, but I'll be with you every step of the way. No harm will come to you here," he reassured her. He walked over to the dining table and moved his chair right next to her. "We'll go-"

"HADES!" He was interrupted by a familiar feminine voice banging on the front door. "HADES, I KNOW YOU'RE HOME! PLEASE!" The cacophonous growls and barks of the mudpack further announced her arrival.

Persephone looked down the hall at the commotion. "Is that-" 

"Minthe."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confrontation. I'll throw in a TW for verbal abuse just in case.

“I thought that you and her were over?”

Hades stood up. “We are. I am. I just...there’s been so much back and forth, and honestly, I’m done with it. She may not be though. I’ll explain when I defuse this,” he walked toward the door.

“HADES OPEN UP! PLEASE! I’m sorry,” she sobbed, leaning into the door. 

Hades pinched the bridge of his nose from the stress. _No. I’m not doing this anymore._ He silenced the mudpack and waved them off but they only walked three feet away, not letting their master out of their sight. Cerberus growled.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m like this,” she cried louder, “I...I need you.” 

Hades softened. _She really looks heartbroken_. He looked backward down the hall remembering the pink goddess in his kitchen and strengthened his resolve. _This is over_. He opened the door a crack and stepped outside. 

“Can we go inside and talk?” Her rounded, watery eyes pulled at him.

He stood his ground, “I- no. I don’t think that’s the best idea. Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it out here.”

“But...you know how we handle things like this,” she raised a hand to put a finger on his chest.

Hades caught her wrist before she could touch him. “Minthe, we’re done.”

“Big Blue...you could never be done with me,” she smirked. “Who else would want you?”

Hades reeled internally, an automatic response to her insults. As much as he hated to realize it, he remembered her cycles._ If sultry and sexy doesn’t do it, spewing vitriol will._ Hades sighed, putting her wrist to her side and stood up fully. “Quite honestly, aren’t you tired of this? Of us? I’m tired of the back and forth. Tired of hating myself for allowing us to be like this. We’re no good for each other, Minthe. I think yesterday showed that.” 

Minthe’s eyes teared up. “So what, you’re too good for me now?” Her volume escalated. “Now that you’re done with me you’re just going to throw me away? No one else will love you like I do, Hades, and you have to be dumb to think so!”  
  
Persephone could only hear bits and pieces of their conversation from the kitchen, but the sound of Cerberus’ growls becoming more pronounced caused her to get up and walk down the hall toward the front door. As she drew closer, all she heard was Minthe screaming at him. Persephone opened the front door just a crack, making sure neither of them noticed she was there.

“You always say that,” Minthe stepped closer to Hades with her chest pushed forward. “You always say you’re done and then a blowjob later, you’re mine again. It’s only a matter of time."

“No. No more. No more of this. I was done yesterday, I was hoping you were too. You put your _hands_ on me, Minthe.”

Minthe reeled a bit before shaking her head, “I know I went too far but you pushed me there....”

Persephone’s sclera reddened at Minthe’s admission. Her hair lengthened and formed into vines with thick thorns. She looked over at the mudpack and saw Cerberus’ ears at attention, his legs ready to pounce. Mushroom and Big John were behind him, tails downward as they sensed their master’s distress. Cordon Bleu and Russell were yipping, their barks becoming louder as the argument outside continued. _Where are Fudge and JP? Oh well, don’t have time to worry about that right now._ Persephone held a finger to her mouth, begging the pack to be quiet. She didn’t want her cover blown. At the sound of Hades’ booming voice, she returned her attention to the door.

Hades stepped back. “...my fault? Seriously? I can’t… I can’t take this right now. You need to leave. We’re done.”

“No! I’m not leaving, just let me inside,” she closed the space between them. “Let me show you why we’re so good together.”

_Keep. It. Together, Persephone. She doesn’t even know you’re here. This has nothing to do with you._ She felt her hair continue to grow and tried deep breathing to control her anger._ Hades is a grown man who can make his own decisions. If last night was just a fling, well...I’ll have to be okay with that._ Her eyes watered at the thought, but she refused to cry. _This is a part of adulthood,_ She chided herself. _Not everyone you have a crush on has to like you back_. Persephone heard fumbling outside and refocused.

Hades grabbed Minthe’s shoulders and placed her an arm’s length away from him. “I said no! If you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave,” he stepped back toward the door.

Realization hit Minthe like a ton of bricks and she reached a red hand out, grabbing him. “Who’s here?”

Hades paused, sincerely surprised at her accurate accusation. “W-What?”

“I said,” she ground out through her teeth, “who’s here?!” Minthe stepped up to Hades, pointing a dainty, sharp nail into Hades’ chest. 

_Don’t. Touch. Him._ Persephone’s teeth ground together. Yelling disagreements she could take, but she had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that things were going to get worse, and it looked like her hunch was right. Even though it was just a finger to his chest, Persephone knew how quickly things could escalate. She noticed Minthe’s furrowed eyebrows and how her black eyes squinted a little while she glared at him. Her ears were pointed backwards as her volume lowered to a menacing tone. 

_Shit’s about to hit the fan._ Persephone felt the palpable tension. _She better be careful_… She felt her fingernails turn into claws as she continued watching.

“Minthe,” Hades pushed her finger away from him, “first off, d-don’t touch me. Secondly, i-it’s not your place to worry about who comes and goes from my home. Not anymore.”

Minthe paused for a second, processing Hades’ statement. She growled and raised a hand, poised to slap him. Persephone snapped, only seeing red._ I know this bitch didn’t._ This time Persephone let the rage flow through her. She felt the strain in her eyes as they reddened. She was acutely aware of her strands lengthening even more and focused on them, adding more thorns. Within milliseconds before Minthe could complete her swing and make contact with Hades’ cheek, Persephone whipped a pink, thorny vine around Minthe’s wrist, squeezing.

“Don’t you ever put your hands on him,” Persephone threatened, her voice now echoing with the power that was flowing through her, “or it will be the last thing you do, and that’s a promise.”

Hades’ eyes widened as he heard her voice. Slowly, he turned around to look at the goddess behind him. He noticed her red eyes and the vines floating above her head. He remembered seeing this form not even 24 hours ago in her night terrors and stood aside, not wanting to be within striking range. He was torn; he still cared for Minthe and knew that there were broken parts of her that made her act like this, but he was done being the one to constantly put the pieces together. He ran an azure hand through his hair, deciding on whether he should try to deescalate the situation or not.

Minthe felt fear tingle down her spine, but her pride forced her to bear the pain. She turned to Hades, “not even 24 hours after we argue and you have t-this pink slut warming your bed? That’s got to be a record for you, Big Blue.”

Persephone’s hair lilted ever the slightest at Minthe’s comment._ Maybe...maybe I’m a rebound. He told me that they were over. But they didn’t even last a week. What if_… Persephone shook her head of her insecurities, _that doesn’t matter right now_. She concentrated harder, putting more strength into her vines, enjoying the grimace of pain she elicited from Minthe.

Hades watched Persephone, knowing how deadly Minthe’s tongue could be. She always knew how to hit right where it hurt. He saw Persephone waver the slightest bit and that made his decision for him. _No. Minthe will not ruin this love I’ve found._ Protective feelings took over as his voice deepened into a growl, “don’t you ever call her out of her name again.” His blue hue deepened into swirls of navy, black, and violet with dots of bright light. “You will never darken my doorstep again,” his eyes faded to black, blending in with the color of his body. 

Persephone grew flustered seeing Hades this way and it broke her concentration. The thick vine wrapped around Minthe’s wrist slackened and the rest of her hair fell, hitting the ground. She had only heard stories about the King of the Underworld’s wrath form and she was completely in awe. She couldn't imagine being the target of his wrath.

Minthe was shaking. She realized just how deeply he cared for the pink goddess beside him and the dam of tears broke. Her heartbreak and fear combined with the sting in her wrists overwhelmed her and she fell to her knees, bawling, hugging herself in a failing attempt to keep it together. 

Persephone took pity on Minthe and walked toward Hades’ galaxy form, the sheer wind of his transformation blowing through her tresses. “Hades,” she whispered his name, placing a gentle hand on his leg. He looked down at her and stopped growing, but he didn’t completely return to his normal form. “Hades, love, I’m okay.” 

As much as Hades hated to admit it, he relished the power coursing through him in this form, but when he realized that his Kore was okay, he reined it in. Slowly, his eyes changed from black to red and his skin faded into his normal sky blue hue. Pulling Persephone closer to his side, his glare never left Minthe. “She knows how to play the pitiful role well, Persephone. I’ve fallen for it plenty of times. Don’t make the same mistake,” his tone showed his disgust. 

Persephone glanced up at Hades and saw his clenched jaw, wishing she could help him relax. _Not now girl, focus_. She looked at Minthe on the ground, her sobbing abating but her frame still shaking. She heeded Hades’ words, realizing how Minthe had taken advantage of him before, but the red crumpled figure in front of them seemed...broken. _It’s not our responsibility to fix her_, she had to remind herself. 

Minthe took a couple of deep breaths before standing, her body trembling. She ran to her car, opened the door, and slammed it before hastily backing out of the driveway and speeding away. The smell of burnt rubber lingered in her wake.

“Hades,” Persephone looked up at him and noticed his vacant expression. “Hades, are you alright?” She noticed the tears threatening to fall. “Oh Hades,” she caressed his cheek, “you know none of what she said is true, right?”

Hades nodded, maintaining eye contact with her. _Now she just pities you._ _She doesn’t want you. You were just good for a fling. Now she’s seen your true form, I doubt she’ll stick around much longer._ He squinted, trying to quiet his thoughts. “I know,” he whispered. 

“Let’s go inside,” she took his hand as she walked toward the door. Zombie-like, he followed. 

They walked together to the living room where Hades plopped onto his couch. He barely moved a muscle. He was silent and stared straight ahead, tears now running down his cheeks. Persephone hummed a soft tune as she began making tea. Soon the scent of chamomile tea pervaded and she poured both of them a cup. She placed each one on the coffee table before sitting next to him, taking one of his hands in hers. She rubbed small circles onto the back of his hand, hoping to elicit some sort of response. His grip tightened ever so slightly, but that was it. 

“Hades, can you hear me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed! Pork, you already know you da best beta ever for really helping me sketch this out. As always, feedback and kudos are appreciated


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades makes a surprise trip. He and Persephone have a necessary talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more TW for dissociating, otherwise enjoy!

He nodded, still staring ahead.

“Okay. Okay, good.” Persephone thought back to her Psychology 101 class textbook. Class had only been in session a couple of weeks, but being the overachiever she was she read a bit ahead. _ I think he’s dissociating. Okay. What can I do... _

~~~~~~~~~~~

Hades couldn’t remember how he ended up here. Again. He looked up at the five eyed titan who was staring back at him, head cocked to the side in confusion.

“Back so soon?” Her deep, gravelly voice inquired.

“I...I guess so,” he rubbed the back of his neck, surprised by the hair that had grown long enough to cover it.

“It seems you have deeper feelings than you thought, Little One,” she smiled. “Not that I mind the company, but you’ve been here too often.”

“I...I didn’t even realize.”

“Most usually don’t,” she answered matter-of-factly, “but now you do, so you can do something about it.”

“Yeah…”

“But you should be heading back, the green traitor’s daughter is trying to pull you back.”

Hades blinked, realizing where he was. The smell of tea leaves and lavender made him wrinkle his nose. “Kore?”

“Hades!” She squealed. “Do you know where you are?”

He looked around. “My... living room?”

“Okay great! Do you know who I am?” 

“Of course, Sweetness, look, I...”

“You dissociated, I think,” she cocked her head to the side. “I tried to ground you, but I may have overdone it with the floral scents,” she motioned to the lavender plant on the coffee table. “I also made you some chamomile tea to help calm you,” she placed the mug at his lips.

Hades smile and sipped, indulging in the warmth of both the tea and the bright, pink goddess leaning into his side. “Thank you, Kore.”

“You’re welcome,” she smiled, caressing him. “You take care of me, so the least I can do is help take care of you.”

“You don-”

Persephone held a hand up, silencing his objection. “I know I don’t have to, but I want to. Besides, it seems like you have some of your own issues to sort out too, and I want to support you as you do so.”

“Oh...right...I’m sorry about what you saw with Minthe.”

“You don’t have to apologize. From what I’ve heard, it sounds like you both need some help. I guess therapy would be helpful for all of us,” she chuckled.

Hades sighed, "I guess I'll have to make an appointment with my therapist." He pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"I...I probably should too," Persephone chewed her bottom lip, nerves taking over. "I think it will help me process everything that's going on so that I can manage and deal with it in a healthy way. I just don't want the word getting out, you know?" She slouched into the couch. "Then even more people will doubt that I can handle myself," she mindlessly played with her hair.

"Well, for starters, there's patient privacy. Your therapist isn't allowed to disclose any identifiable information to anyone, so you won't hear it from them." Hades placed a soft hand on her thigh.

"But you know how paparazzi are," Persephone huffed, "especially after the first tabloid came out." 

Hades bristled at the reminder of his lack of security. "Kore, that is...already taken care of. You won't have to worry about that. But if you're concerned, I can have Cerberus accompany you. He'll be able to sniff out anybody hiding in the bushes or otherwise."

"Really?" Her eyes brightened, "I would love for my good boy to come!" _ Animals are so much easier than people, gods, or anyone else for that matter. _Persephone gave Hades a quick peck on the cheek in gratitude. 

Hades blushed at the small show of affection. _ I'll never get tired of that. _He returned the kiss with a peck of his own on her lips. Blue flowers sprouted behind her ears as her neck reddened. He smirked, enjoying her getting flustered.

Their exchange brought to mind all of the events that had happened in the last 24 hours or so, and there was one thing about it that really bothered her. "H-Hades, at the risk of ruining the mood… I was thinking about last night and everything that's been said from then to now, and I just want to know what this is?" She motioned at the two of them.

Hades' eyes bugged out at her question. "Well Sweetness, I meant everything that I told you last night. You have me as you would want me, and you told me it was the same for you." He took her small hand between his large blue ones. "Do you still feel the same way?" His eyes betrayed the calm facade he tried to wear. _ I don't want to pressure her, but honestly, if she leaves now, I wouldn't be surprised… just heartbroken. _

"Yes!" She cleared her throat, "I mean, yes, that still stands." She teased a loc of hair with her free hand. "But has it only been one day since you and Minthe broke up? I know things are rather...complicated when it comes to the gods and relationships, so I just wanted to know if this was a rebound or-"

"Gods no!" he interrupted. "Sweetness, I'm sorry to cut you off, but let me assure you that this, you," he squeezed her hand, "are everything that I've wanted. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since the day I saw you at Zeus' Panathenaea. Though I wish we had a better introduction than you waking up drunk in my backseat," he chuckled at the memory. "I wouldn't trade it for anything. Quite honestly, I was surprised that you didn't run away screaming, let alone give me the time of day. And last night was...well it was glorious. Persephone, you're so beautiful that men and gods should bow and worship at the sight of you," he caressed her cheek. "I just...being alive for two millennia really puts things in perspective. I had spent so long looking for the love that my brothers had and, quite honestly, looking in all the wrong places, and that, along with the whole growing up inside your father's stomach, comes with a lot of baggage. Too much baggage to put on someone so young.

"So I was afraid. I tried to force things to work with Minthe. Our broken, jagged pieces seemed to fit together in some sort of chaotic puzzle, but really we were just sanding each other down and losing the good parts of ourselves in the interim. I thought that she needed me, but my dysfunction really needed her to thrive. I didn't think that anyone else would love me, so I was okay with settling with someone who just… tolerated me. So to give it an honest effort, I tried to push you away. I will always keep apologizing for the hurt I caused you."

Persephone gave him a watery smile and leaned into his caress. "I don't want you to do that. Clearly I forgive you. I just… you don't think this is moving fast?" 

Hades hesitated for a beat, considering his words carefully. "If you're saying that because you doubt the surety of my feelings for you and you need time to process before making a decision, then yes, and we can slow things down. If you're worried about what people may say or think about me 'moving on so fast', and that you're 'just a rebound' then I say no, I'll be damned if I let anyone else's opinion of me dictate how I feel about myself."

Persephone saw the sincerity in his gaze and her heart jumped. "Hades, I...I want to be with you, and honestly this is all too good to be true," she smiled, "but there are still parts of me that I need to heal before I can feel comfortable getting into a relationship. This will be my first relationship… and I want to do it right. I can...ha," she laughed at her irony, "I can understand if you don't want to wait for me to, um, get it together."

"I don't really see myself with anyone else," Hades looked down. "I'm willing to be here for you in any way that you need me."

"I… thank you Hades. I… you don't know how much this means to me." A tear ran down her cheek. 

Hades wiped away the tear with his thumb and kissed her forehead. "No need to thank me, little goddess. Both of us benefit from this."

Persephone laughed before hugging him, breathing in his cool, smoky scent. She felt his strong arms embracing her and pulling her into his lap. She snuggled against his chest, her face nestled between his neck and shoulder as she relaxed. "I wish we could stay like this all day," she sighed in relief.

"Your wish is my command," he muttered, his face in her hair. He couldn't get enough of her vanilla and lavender scent. The blue buds behind her ears soon spread, enveloping her crown and bloomed. The petals caressed Hades’ cheek as he snuggled closer. 

The companionable silence was broken by the vibration of Hades' phone. Without looking, he picked it up and declined, not feeling like talking to anyone outside of their bubble. As soon as he placed the phone back on the couch, it started vibrating again. Persephone's pink hand reached out and looked at the phone. "It's Hecate," she held the phone up to him. 

Hades took the phone reluctantly and answered, "Salutations."

"Boss, we've got trouble."


	8. Chapter 8

Hades stiffened a bit at the urgency in her tone. “What is it?”

“I just need to know something before I go on?”

“Yes?”

“You wouldn’t…happen to be harboring a pink little spring goddess would you?”

Hades’ eyes widened and he looked down said pink goddess snuggled in his lap. “That all depends…”

“Hades, seriously?”

“She told Artemis she would be away and hanging out with a friend.”

“So you didn’t think that Apollo would tell Artemis about what happened? You two wounded his pride.”

“Poseidon was supposed to-”

“What, neutralize the situation?” The phone line was silent as Hecate tried to reel her frustration in. “I don’t know what Apollo and Poseidon did together, but all I know is that Artemis has put an APB out on Persephone and I have a feeling she’ll be calling you soon. Just a warning.”

“Let her come.”

“Alright boss. Also, I’ve got the legal information that you asked for. I’m hoping for a little more context soon so that I know what we’re dealing with…” 

“Like I said, it’s not really my place to say, but… I’ll do my best to get you the information that you’re requesting.”

“Alright boss, take care.”

“You too,” he pressed the end button and gave an exasperated sigh. _ The things I do for love. _He chuckled to himself as he looked down at Persephone. “Kore,”

“I know, I heard it all,” she gripped his shirt, trying to cover her face. “I’m sorry I’m bringing all of this mess to your door. Literally.”

“Hey hey,” he lifted her chin with a finger, “we’re in this together. I want to help.”

“I just...do I have to talk to Artemis right now? I already know that she’s going to tear into me,” she slouched into herself.

“Well, if you call her, you have a better chance of controlling the conversation.” Hades rubbed her back, soothing her. “You already know that she’s spoken to Apollo,” he paused when Persephone winced at the mention of his name, “so you’re a bit more armed for the conversation. I won’t say that you _ have _to do this, but you’ll have to talk to her eventually. She’s your roommate.”

“_ Fine,” _she whined as she stood up and headed toward the dining room table to retrieve her phone. “I already know there’s going to be fallout.”

“And I’ll be here to help you deal with it,” he replied smartly.

Persephone powered on her phone. “Here goes…”

~~~~~

Artemis was cleaning her apartment, trying to declutter her thoughts. “I can’t _ believe _ she’d do this to me.” She swept the floor. “After I put my neck on the line for her to give her a little freedom from the helicopter.” She swept the debris into the dustpan. “And this is how she repays me?!” She flopped on the couch, exasperated.

She heard her phone vibrate on the end table and immediately answered upon seeing who it was. “Persephone! I can’t believe you just left me with that text and didn’t even tell me who you were with! I called Eros and he had no idea. I couldn’t think of anyone else who you would be staying with.” Artemis felt the heat in her eyes as they changed to a furious fuchsia, “and then Apollo tells me that you were with Hades and he tried to _ save _you from him and you turned him away. So tell me, are you with Hades now?”

The line was silent.

“Answer me!”

“Artemis, I-”

“Because you know that he can't be trusted."

"Artemis…" Persephone murmured. 

"The idiot squad just takes advantage of women."

"Artemis," Persephone spoke, a little louder this time. 

"And quite honestly, after everything we've been through, I just can't believe you'd-"

"ARTEMIS!" Persephone had had enough. 

Artemis stopped speaking, taken aback by Persephone's yell. 

Persephone cleared her throat, "Artemis, look. A lot has happened and I...I just needed time to clear my head. I just need to process a lot of stuff and I didn't want any...interruptions."

Artemis frowned in confusion. "Interruptions? Perse...where are you?"

"I'm staying with a coworker. I just needed some space. Don't worry, I haven't moved out or anything. I'll be back tomorrow.

"Tomorrow?!"

Persephone sighed, "yes, tomorrow. I'm not upset with you, I do want you to know that. This has nothing to do with you, this is my issue that I have to sort out on my own."

Artemis softened, remembering the strange behavior Persephone had displayed and tried to figure out what she meant about "telling her about her brother." "Perse...is everything okay?"

Persephone hesitated, not wanting to lie, "no, not right now, but it will be."

Artemis sighed in resignation, "I guess I'll take that. You know we're just worried about you. When you're ready, I'm here to listen."

Persephone ground her teeth when she heard the "we". She took a breath, calming her nerves before responding. "Thanks." _ I hope she still feels that way later. _

The line was silent, neither one of them knowing what to say next. Finally, Artemis broke the silence, "take care Perse. I'll check on you later."

"Okay, you too Artemis."

The call disconnected. 

As soon as the call ended, Artemis got a text from her brother.

_ From Apollo _

_ Hey sis, have you heard from Perse? _

_ Received 13:52 _

Artemis sighed and closed out the message, not ready to speak to him._ Too many thoughts floating around that don't make sense. _ Instead, she typed in another name to call. _ I wish I didn't need to talk to him but this is outside of my realm. _She held her breath as the phone rang, almost hoping he wouldn't respond.

"Hello?"

Artemis hesitated.

"Hello? Artemis, you there?"

"Yeah...Eros, I think I need your help. I'm worried about Persephone. I want to help her but...well...you know I'm no good with this emotional stuff."

"Artemis," Eros pinched his nose in irritation, "what. Did. You say?"

"I didn't say anything!" she bristled, defensive at his tone. "She was hanging with Hades apparently," she rolled her eyes, "and Apollo came. He said she acted all weird around him and that he was trying to get Hades to leave her alone but she refused and left with him. She told me she's staying with a coworker but I don't believe her. I think… I think she's staying with him," Artemis' eyes watered at the implications, "and if she is, you know I'd have to report to the other goddesses and-"

"Artemis, stop," Eros interrupted, "you're not going to finish that sentence. Can we start with why Apollo was over there? He had to have known you wouldn't be home. You've been working the same shift forever."

Artemis was silent, musing at Eros' observation. "But he-"

"Doesn't it seem weird to you that he seems so..._ attentive _ to her and what she's doing?"

"He just cares about her! A crush!"

"There's a difference between caring about someone and trying to take control. If he cared, he wouldn't be reporting every little thing she does to you. He's not her babysitter and neither are you."

Artemis swallowed, not sure how to respond.

Eros' tone softened, "Artemis, honey, I know you're worried about her. I am too. But when...if she's ready to come around to you, she will. But you can't force it. This has to happen on her timing, otherwise you'll push her away."

"Eros...what do you _ know _? Why isn't she letting me in?" Artemis' eyes teared up, "I don't know what to do!"

Eros heart cracked hearing the pain in his friend's voice, "I'm sorry, it's not my place to tell. But you can just be there for her. Support her. She's hard enough on herself as it is. Give her some space and time."

Artemis wiped a tear and cleared her throat. "Thank you, Eros. I guess you're right."

"I would be a sucky love god if I wasn't. You take care now."

"Thanks...you too." 

Artemis relaxed into the couch and closed her eyes, her thoughts swirling around. She knew what to do but not how to do it. _ It's so...boring now that she's gone. I didn't know I had gotten used to her being here so quickly. _ She eyed a couple of potted flowers on the windowsill across the room. "Well, the least I can do is keep her flowers alive while she's gone." She stood up to look for the water pail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, feedback, comments, and kudos are appreciated! Pork is beta #1 always. I hope you enjoyed it!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if warranted, but TW for depression/depressive symptoms for this chapter and the next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're starting to get into a mild bit of emotionally heavy stuff. I want to make sure that I do it justice, so I am open to comments, feedback, and critiques. As always kudos are appreciated. Pork- thank you for being patient when my writing insecurities take over. You da bomb.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Persephone sighed and walked to the couch. Hades held his arms open and she accepted his invitation snuggling into him, "I wish we could stay like this forever."

"As do I, Kore." He ran a playful hand through her hair. "But unfortunately, we have... _ adult _ things to do," he replied with a cringe. "We don't have to do it all today though."

"Honestly, I just need some sleep. Then we can start on the revenge."

"Let's see how you feel first. We have time for vengeance. We want to make sure we do it correctly, so we can't rush. I think a nap would do you some good." He stood up, cradling her to his chest. He carried her to the guest room, pausing when he reached the threshold.

"H-Hades,'' she was interrupted by a yawn, "can I sleep in your bed? Not to do anything," she felt him tense up, "I just...I like the smell of your pillows. It's comforting," she looked down to hide her blushing cheeks

"Um, sure. If that's what you need." He turned down the hall and started toward his room. He flushed a bright purple around the neck at the feeling of Persephone nuzzling him. 

Hades entered his room and smiled at the blue and pink flower petals littering his bed and floor.  _ No point in cleaning it now. _ He laid her down gingerly, not wanting to jar her, and he noticed her breathing slow as she fell asleep once her head hit the pillow. He pulled the duvet over her and snuck out, closing the door gently. 

He walked into his office and sat in his plush chair, feeling the weight of everything crashing down on him. He grabbed a cigar from his stash and cut the end. "I really should stop smoking," he thought aloud before lighting it, "but I'm not quitting today." He took a pull of his cigar.

_ Things are over with Minthe. Minthe. I can't believe centuries of...whatever that was...is over _ . He ran a hand through his hair.  _ Kore sure does know how to shake everything up, doesn't she? _ He laughed to himself, shaking his head in disbelief.  _ I wish she realized how strong she is. She's been through so much… _ He grew enraged at how she had been violated.  _ As a matter of fact, I should start working on her list _ .

He stood up and walked to his file cabinet, rifling through and pulling out the folders that interested him. Six folders later, he returned to his computer desk, took a pull of his cigar, and got to work.

Hours later, Persephone woke up. Feeling disoriented at the length of her nap, she rolled over to look at the clock. Her eyes widened as she saw 20:34 in bright red. 

"I can't believe I slept that long," she groaned. "I wasted the whole day!" She looked down at her clothes and felt gross.  _ Maybe I need a shower. _ She rolled out of bed and walked to Hades' bathroom. When she opened the door, she was in awe at the size of the tub.

"Scratch that, I'm taking a bath!" She ran the hot water tap. She wanted a bubble bath, so she observed the different bottles on the edge of the tub and picked one that looked the least masculine. It was a nondescript red bottle with  _ Egyptian Musk _ in black letters. She raised an eyebrow,  _ I think I can work with this. _ She concentrated, and in her hands grew sandalwood bark and a few stalks of vanilla bean. She put those at the bottom of the tub and squirted some of the soap into the tub. Satisfied, she walked out of the bathroom to investigate Hades' bookshelf. She pulled a large tome off of the shelf that had no title and returned to the bathroom, reading as she waited for the tub to fill. 

After 10 minutes had passed she gasped. She was too engrossed in the book to realize that the tub was almost overflowing. Hastily she turned off the tap and disrobed, testing the water with a finger before fully submerging herself up to her neck. The smells of the tub soothed her and she laid back, relaxing. Before long, the warm water coaxed her to sleep.

Hades looked at the clock on his laptop and saw the time.  _ It's almost midnight. I better check on her. _ He stood up and stretched, regretting his poor posture as he sat for all those hours. He walked to the bedroom and noticed that no one was there. "Kore?" He called out. No answer.

_ I would've heard her if she left the room. _ He walked further in and noticed light peering from the bottom of his bathroom door. He knocked gently, "Kore, you okay?" Still no response. He knocked again, a little louder. "Kore? If you don't say anything I'm coming in." Concern colored his voice. He swiftly opened the door and stopped when he saw her. 

He took in her flushed pink skin, her head leaned back on the edge of the tub. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was even, each breath sending small ripples out toward the other end of the tub. Everything below her neck was submerged, but the suds had mostly dissipated and he could see her curves, beautiful despite the distortion in the water. He swallowed,  _ you need to wake her up, not stare at her, you creep. _

He walked over to her. "Kore?" He caressed her cheek, "Kore, love, wake up."

"Hnmm?" She groaned sleepily. She leaned into the caress and sighed. 

"Kore," he stroked her cheek with a thumb, "the water is going cold. You need to get out." 

Persephone’s eyes opened a crack as she was waking up out of her slumber. It took her brain a second to realize the scenario that she was in.  _ Wait a second...Hades is here...and I’m naked! In the water nonetheless but still....should I be feeling nervous? I mean we did have sex last night...but I said we should take it slow and figure our crap out before we got together…  _ Persephone sighed, exasperated with her racing thoughts. She cleared her throat before speaking, “I’m up, thank you for waking me. What time is it?”

Hades pulled out his pocket watch, “Quarter to midnight,”

“What?!!” She shrieked, sitting up straight. “I literally slept the whole day...thing is, I’m still exhausted.

In her surprise, Persephone didn’t notice that her change in posture lifted her breasts out of the water. Glistening with streams of water and plastered with remnants of white flower petals, Persephone looked every bit the spring fertility goddess that she was. Hades concentrated against his primal instinct and kept his arousal at bay.  _ She said she wants to take it slow. You can’t jump her bones, you moron.  _ He walked to his linen closet and grabbed a black towel out of the warmer. He walked over to her and extended the towel to his total arm span, an invitation. “I think this is warmer than the water by now,” he quipped. 

“I, I guess you’re right,” she blushed. But before she stood completely out of the water, she paused and looked at him expectantly. Noting Hades’ confused expression, she spoke, “you can at least close your eyes.”

“Oh, sorry. When you were taken aback by the time, you sat up and...exposed your top half...I wasn’t sure if you knew or if you… wanted me to see...” He closed his eyes, embarrassed at his misunderstanding.

“Oh!” Persephone’s flush rose to her cheeks. “I’m so sorry! In the mortal realm, we’re naked almost all the time. I’m still getting used to the way Olympus is when it comes to things like this. I’m sorry Hades, I didn’t mean to send mixed messages.” She quickly stood up out of the water and grabbed the center of the towel. She relished in the warmth of it and when she was covered she grabbed his hand. “I’m decent now, you can open your eyes.” Hades opened his eyes and Persephone noticed that his irises had turned scarlet.  _ Damn. I know I told him I wanted to slow things down but...No. You will not let your horniness overtake you. Be Firm. _ “I...I’m going to go find some pajamas,” she murmured before swiftly creeping out of the bathroom. 

As soon as she left, Hades released a breath that he hadn’t noticed he was holding. He allowed Persephone a few minutes of privacy as he heard her rustling through his drawers, looking for something appropriate to wear.  _ I’ve got to remember to get her some more clothes _ . Pretty soon he heard the rustling cease and he cracked the door ajar, peeking out of it. No naked pink goddess in sight. He opened the door and stepped out, his bare feet silent on the black carpet. 

He walked to his bed and his heart was overtaken with love as he watched the object of his affection in her sleep. Her small frame was splayed out in the center of the bed. She picked out a white tee shirt of his that was at least three sizes too big and a pair of blue boxer shorts that came to her knees. Her pixie cut was ruffled and he noted the stark contrast of her bright pink against his navy blue pillows. She wore the slightest smile, and he hoped that he was the cause of it. Her slow, even breathing was like a metronome that dictated the pace of his own heartbeat. She looked totally at peace, and even though she had already slept for most of the day, he couldn’t stand to wake her up. 

He ran a hand through his silver hair. “This goddess is going to be the death of me.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW for depressive themes/mentions of rape

Persephone woke up with a start as her phone vibrated on the night table beside her. She looked at it and rolled her eyes at the name on the caller ID.  _ I am not answering for him. _ She hit the end button declining the call and her eyes widened at the time.  _ I can’t believe it’s the next day! I just...I literally wasted a whole day. I just have no energy… _

She rolled onto her back and sighed, willing herself to move. She didn’t.  _ Okay Perse, today must be...Sunday. You need to go home. You have no more clothes and you have work and class tomorrow. Get. It. Together. _ Her internal pep talk was interrupted by faint footsteps getting closer to the door, followed by a few quiet knocks.

“Kore, are you awake?”

“Yeah…” she groaned.

“Are you...decent?”

That made her giggle. “Yes, Hades.”  _ I guess he’s really trying to respect my wishes… now that I think about it, it seems a bit silly to be embarrassed about seeing each other naked since...well, I guess I did ask for some time to figure things out. He’s been so gracious.  _ Hades sat on the edge of the bed, hunched over as if weighed down. “Hades, what’s wrong?”

“I should be asking you that, Kore,” Hades ran a hand through his unruly silver strands. “You slept the majority of the day yesterday, and with all of the emotional trauma that you’ve undergone well...it worries me.”

“I’m...I’m okay,” Persephone whispered. “I’m just really tired. I guess I’ve been working myself to the bone.”

“Little Goddess,” Hades turned toward her and caressed her cheek, “your tiredness is a symptom. I’ve been through it before many times, unfortunately, so I recognize it.”

“I…” she sighed in resignation, “I don’t really know what to do. I want to be over this already, move on with my life.”

“Honestly Sweetness, I don’t know if you’ll ever ‘get over it’,” he paused, picking his next words carefully, “but with therapy, you’ll be able to find ways to cope and function. You’ll be better able to...manage? I’m not the best person to talk about this with,” Hades admitted, fidgeting with his fingers, “but I can vouch for the importance of having someone to help you through it.”

“I just...no. You’re right. You and Eros are right. I’ll call and make an appointment.”

Hades’ expression brightened. “You will?”

Persephone’s heart warmed at his enthusiasm. “Yes, cross my heart and hope to die.”

Hades rolled his eyes at the overused mortal phrase before standing. “I know you are dreading going home, so I made you breakfast. How about you take a shower, clean some of the funk off and gather your thoughts, and then you can come join me?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Persephone acquiesced, pulling the covers off of her. Once Hades left for the kitchen, she rallied herself to walk to the shower. _You can do this. It’s 10 feet away. You’re a goddess_. She rolled to the edge of the bed and sat up, relishing the feeling of the plush carpet between her toes. She shed her clothing and walked into the bathroom, stopping at the sink to brush her teeth. 

Soon after, she walked to the shower, turning on the taps and letting the water run until the bathroom was steaming. She stepped inside, loving the feeling of the warm droplets on her skin.  _ Like a spring rain, washing everything away. _ She hummed a familiar tune from the mortal realm as she washed, lathering the black washcloth that had become hers during her stay. Without provocation, she felt her thoughts creeping in, trying to invade on her bubble of contentment that she had created.  _ You’re dirty. This is your fault. No amount of washing can make you clean.  _ Persephone hummed louder, attempting to drown out the voice.  _ Mama shouldn’t have let you go. She knew this would happen, but you’re so stubborn. Look at where that got you, you stupid village girl. _

Persephone applied more pressure as she washed her arms and legs, scrubbing until they were an angry red. Not satisfied, she moved down toward her thighs, remembering the feeling of his fingers parting them. She scrubbed furiously, accepting her pain as punishment for her stupidity.  _ Maybe I did flirt with him. I guess I led him on.  _ Tears burned her eyes as she cried out, her grief overwhelming her.  _ Oh silly little goddess, _ her own voice was mocking her,  _ you can never wash the shame away. _ She fell to her knees in the shower, feeling completely defeated.  _ I can’t win.  _

“Kore, you’ve been in there for a long time, are you alright?”

Persephone heard his familiar, comforting voice but couldn’t bring herself to answer.  _ Foolish girl, he pities you, he doesn’t love you. _

“Persephone? Please let me know you’re okay!” He pleaded, to no avail. Hades waited a beat, hoping for a response, “I’m coming in in five seconds if you don’t answer!” 

She felt frozen, unable to move, the continual splash of water on her face the only thing occupying her senses. Persephone cringed at the sudden intrusion of cold air as Hades pulled back the shower curtain. 

Hades’ skin flushed at the heat of the shower. His heart broke as he took a good look at her. Her entire body was a dark pink, almost purple from the heat of the water, but on her arms and thighs he noted the red skin irritation. “Kore…" he turned off the water. 

“I just...no matter how hard I scrub,” Persephone’s eyes watered, “I just can’t get clean.”


	11. Chapter 11

“Sweetness,” Hades got into the shower and knelt in front of her, “you are clean. You are worthy, and what happened to you isn’t your fault.”

_ He’s lying. _

Persephone shook her head, tears cascading down her cheeks. “It..It was my fault! I know that you and Eros are trying to make me feel better but...I must’ve led him on somehow!” She sniffled. “Artemis was always telling me that I’m too friendly...maybe-”

“Kore, stop,” Hades held a hand up, his voice gentle. “You said no. That cancelled out anything that he would have said. Even if you had agreed to do it initially, once you said no then he should’ve stopped. You are not at fault here.” He took her face into his hands. “He’s the dirty, scummy, filthy, shitty little sun god who messed up, and we will make him pay. But you have to take care of yourself now. You need to be kind to yourself.” He stood up and exited the shower, quickly returning with a large, black, fluffy towel.

Persephone stood up. “But...but I disappointed everyone. I fought tooth and nail for Mama to let me come stay in Olympus for school and this happens only after a couple of weeks? I just prove her right over and over again.”

Hades sighed. “Kore, respectfully, Demeter has always had a chip on her shoulder when it comes to us. Even after the Titanomachy she held a disregard for us. I don’t know exactly what happened, she never told any of us, but I have a feeling that even if you did everything right, she would still find something wrong.” He engulfed her with the towel before scooping her up, cradling her to his chest as he carried her into the bedroom. 

Persephone nuzzled him, taking in his warmth and appreciating the security of his arms.  _ It’s the only place I can seem to find peace nowadays. _ She sighed against him.  _ I’m just tired of always needing rescuing and being a burden. I need to stand on my own powers for once. _ He placed her gently on the bed.

“Kore? Did you hear me?”

Sheepishly, Persephone shook her head, “oh, I’m sorry, I was in my head.”

Hades chuckled, “I’m going to grab some aloe to put on your arms and legs.”

“Oh, wait, I can do that.” She squeezed her eyes in concentration. She extended her palm and in it grew an aloe vera leaf, about a foot long. She sagged a little, exhausted from the effort.  _ Have I gotten weaker? _ She frowned. 

“Impressive,” Hades acknowledged. “I’m still in awe at how you can make things grow where nothing is meant to.” He lengthened the nail of his index finger and sliced along the seam of the leaf, pleased with the amount of the watery gel. “This should be more than enough.” Persephone reached down and Hades placed his hand on hers. “Please, allow me.”

Persephone blushed before extending an arm to him and gasped, shocked at how raw it looked. She didn’t realize the extent of what she had done to herself.  _ Damn. _

“We stopped before it could get too bad,” Hades reassured her. “With the aloe, it should heal up in a couple of days. I don't even think you'll have scars.”

“But Hades...I’m going home  _ today _ . I don’t want to deal with even more questions about why I look like this, especially in a tank top and shorts.”

“I mean, you  _ were _ gardening,” he held up a hand and she gave him her other arm, “you can just tell her that you accidentally fell into some poison ivy or something.”

She hissed a little at the sting of the salve on a particular patch of irritated skin. “Gods, so naive and clumsy? She’d never let me out of the house,” she grinned.

_ I’d do anything to see that smile. _ Hades beamed at her, “You wouldn’t be the first god to be so distracted at your task that you were a little careless. At least only you got hurt when it happened. Usually my workload increases exponentially when that happens with other gods.”

Persephone hesitated. “Haha…yeah...” she looked away from him and toward the clock on the nightstand. She noticed the time. “Sugar snaps! Is it that late already?”

Hades finished her arm. “Yeah, that was part of the reason that I came in. You had been in the shower for a while. But there’s no rush for you to leave,” he lowered his hands to her feet and raised an eyebrow at her.

Persephone granted him permission and placed a small, pink foot in his hands. He began rubbing her feet, massaging every little pink toe before focusing on her sole. Her eyes rolled back at the unexpected foot massage and she fought the instinct to lay down on the bed. “Mmm...that feels nice.”

Hades stiffened a bit, feeling his pants beginning to tighten. “I’m glad. I know it’s not much, but I wanted to try to make you feel a bit more relaxed.” He moved to her ankle, “now, do you want me to go any further or do you want to take it from here?"

_ Please don't stop. _ "Um, I, um...I can take it from here," but she didn't move her foot. She refused to break her eye contact with him, not wanting him to leave.  _ But I just told him that I want to take it slow. It's mean to flip flop like this... _

"Okay," he stood up, "breakfast is cold, but I can heat it up for you if you're ready to eat."

"Yeah, that sounds good."

They both were distracted by the sound of her phone vibrating. She grabbed it and playfully rolled her eyes before answering. "Eros" she mouthed to him, noticing the question in his expression. He nodded and walked out, granting her privacy with her friend. 

Sometime later, Hades heard his bedroom door open and close. Immediately following were the clicks of his seven hairy traitors speeding toward the bedroom. He heard her voice mewling and cooing at the mud pack. Hades laughed, shaking his head. He couldn't help but enjoy the moment of domesticity.  _ Despite everything, she fits in so well here.  _

Eventually she made it past the pack and joined Hades in the living room. She smiled as she sat beside him on the couch.

"You're in a good mood."

"It’s hard not to be when you have a pack of puppies waiting to greet you!”

Hades raised an eyebrow, but didn’t protest.  _ They haven’t been puppies for quite some time.  _ “Yes, they always are excited for Ms. Kore to come around,” he chuckled, “Everything okay with Eros?”

“Well, everything isn't  _ fixed _ , but we have a plan."

"Do you? Let’s hear it," he encouraged.

"Well, it's not anything concrete of course, but we were thinking you could drop me off at the junction between the Underworld and Olympus, and he and I will fly to Artemis' together. That way she won't be mad about seeing you and assume we were together, and if Apollo is there, Eros will be the buffer." 

'Well, that should work," Hades mused, "but what about tomorrow?"

"I'll… I'll worry about tomorrow when it gets here. I just need to make it through today."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long, we're now in final exam season, but after this week I'll be back for realz. Again I hope you enjoyed it, all constructive feedback is appreciated.


	12. Chapter 12

Persephone remembered that Hades had made breakfast for her and stood up abruptly. “I forgot you cooked for me, I’m sorry Hades.” She walked to the kitchen and put the cold food into the microwave.

“You’re...going to microwave it? Bleh.” 

“Look, college students will eat just about anything,” Persephone shrugged. “I don’t have time to cook or money to order out all the time so I make do.”

Hades made a mental note to increase her pay.  _ Her performance has made quite the difference anyways. She’s due one. _

Once her food was ready, Persephone grabbed it and reclaimed her spot on the couch next to Hades. She had desired contact with him but was again hesitant.  _ Would it be too much? I just...don’t want to overcomplicate things. _ She leaned against the back of the couch, careful not to do anything more than casual contact. 

Hades raised an eyebrow over the book that he was reading but said nothing.  _ I’ll let her set the pace. _ “If you want to watch a movie or something on TV while you eat, that’s fine.”

“No, I think I’m going to read instead,” she picked up a novel.

“The Odyssey? Hmm.”

Persephone raised an eyebrow, “problem?”

“No, no. I shouldn’t be surprised that you’d read it for your leisure. You’ve always been quite the overachiever,” he teased.

“You have it in your library, and you’ve been around well before it was written. What’s your excuse?” She stuck her tongue out.

“I’m old. Had a lot of free time once I got the Underworld up and running. Then the mortal population started booming.”

“Makes sense,” she responded haphazardly, eyes already glued to the book. Hades chuckled to himself and returned to his own book.

A few hours had passed and Hades marked his spot, checking his phone in case he missed any calls. Satisfied to see that no one had tried to reach him, he noted the time and sadly, he felt compelled to draw Persephone away from the book.

“Kore, it’s getting late. Were you planning on staying another night?”

Persephone sighed, dog earring the page she was on before closing the book. “No, I should really get back. I’ll text Eros to let him know we’re on the way.” She stood up and walked toward the garage door, looking back at Hades expectantly. She was bouncing from foot to foot, waiting on him. 

Hades stood up, regretting telling her about the time and the way that her mood shifted. The anxiety emanating from her was palpable. He followed her and unlocked the door to his black Porsche. Hastily, Persephone got into the car, not waiting for Hades to open the door for her. He cautiously sat in the driver’s seat, watching her fidget and her restless leg bounce. “Kore. You don’t have to do this if you’re not ready. I know Eros is expecting you but...there’s no rush.”

“I know, but I have to do this eventually, might as well get it over with,” she sighed, attempting to soothe the butterflies in her stomach.

“Eros is meeting us at the boundary, right?”

“Right.”

“Then you’ll be okay. If he’s as much of your friend as you say he is, I don’t think he’ll let anyone harm you.”

“You’re right. I shouldn’t be so nervous.”

“Your nerves are valid. This is a very nerve wracking situation. All you have to do is make it home and into your bedroom. Just one thing I need to ask you.”

“Yes?”

“What were you planning on doing with the lyre?”

Persephone’s eyes reddened, “well honestly I was going to snap a string every time the thought of him pissed me off.”

“Okay, what about when the lyre is finished?”

“Wipe it off and leave it at his door. No fingerprints, hair, anything like that.”

“Hmm...that could be phase one.”

“Phase one?”

“Just thinking out loud,” Hades pushed the button to open the garage door and pulled out onto the street. “I know we don’t have any concrete plans for your revenge, but I think that would be a good phase one. He doesn’t think you have the stones to do it so he’ll never suspect you.”

“Hmm…” Persephone murmured as she stared out the window, “either way, he’ll be off soon. Looks like I may have to see him after all.”

As they drew closer to the border, the stark change from the blues and blacks of the Underworld to the pinks and purples of the Olympian sunset unnerved her. Soon, Hades rolled past the toll booth at the Underworld-Olympian border and pulled off the road. “Looks like we beat Eros.”

“Good. I just… need time to…” She spoke while her eyes searched the car, “do you have something I could cut this with?” She motioned toward the long, green vines that were sprouting from her fingers.

“Wait-whe-how-”

“I guess my powers work faster when I’m nervous? I don’t know. I just need to cut these before Eros gets here.”

“Um, sure,” Hades lengthened three of his fingers into claws and sliced through the vines.

“Thanks,” Persephone worked swiftly, wrapping the vines around the lyre. Once she was content that the vines covered it appropriately, she laid her hands on the lyre, concentrating. Small, pink buds started sprouting and soon after they bloomed, faded to a lighter pink near the end of the petals. “Sweet peas,” Persephone smiled at her work.

“Well, I see Eros coming, get ready,” Hades warned. He took a look at her and noticed her hair, now at her mid back, “you look beautiful with long hair.”

Persephone blushed. “Thank you.”

Eros alighted a few feet away, waving excitedly at the car. Persephone smiled and Hades groaned, already annoyed by the excited energy that he was exuding. “Sweetness.”

Persephone turned to him, acknowledging him.

“If things do end up getting...out of control, you know how to summon me, right?

“Two pats on the ground.”

“Right. I’ll be here in a flash, no questions asked.”

She smiled at him, grateful. “I’ll be fine, but I will keep that in mind.” 

Eros had walked up to the car and was peering in through Persephone’s window, “hey honey, you ready?”

“Be right out!” she yelled.

Hades and Persephone sat in the car a moment, not quite sure how to part. Hades placed a large azure hand on Persephone’s smaller ones and squeezed gently. Persephone flushed again, leaning over the console and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, for everything,” she opened the car door. “I’ll text you tonight.”

Hades immediately felt her absence as soon as she closed the door. He sat in the car, watching her and Eros until their pink figures were beyond his sight. Reluctantly, he started the car and turned toward the Underworld. Not wanting to go home and face the emptiness that awaited him, he stopped into his favorite coffee shop, ordered his Moroccan coffee, black, and picked up his phone, going through the 145 emails he accrued over the weekend.

~~~~~~~   
  
Eros sensed Persephone’s apprehension when she stepped out of the car and, outside of their normal pleasantries, he decided to give her space. He noticed the bundle of vines that she was holding and raised an eyebrow, but decided not to question it.  _ She was gardening before heading to Hades’, it’s probably some extras.  _ The flight from the border to Artemis’ was about half an hour, and after the first 10 minutes Persephone broke the silence.

“I’m sure you want to know about my weekend with Hades,” she watched him out of the corner of her eye. Eros’ eyes widened with excitement, and though he tried to play cool, Persephone could see him bursting at the seams with excitement.

“Wellllllll, I didn’t want to invade your privacy,” Eros started, “however if you decided to divulge the juicy details I wouldn’t discourage you.”

Persephone snorted, “how subtle. Well, he treated me like a queen the entire time I was there...I had night terrors that night and slept in his bed to keep the nightmares away.”

“You did WHAT?” Eros squealed in excitement. “Oh, you little minx!”

“Shhh!” Persephone looked around, not sure if there was anyone flying toward them. Eros reassured her that “no one takes this route anyway” but she couldn’t be too sure. After confirming that the coast was clear she told him of her and Hades’ night together.

Eros teared up a bit. “So all of my training went to good use, I’m so proud! Now do you see why I told you to never buy pack underwear?”

Persephone rolled her eyes. “Anyway...then Minthe came over…” she regaled him with the details of the confrontation. Eros’ eyes never left her as he was rapt with attention. 

“Sounds like you had an eventful weekend, honey. Now let me ask, are you and Hades a... _ thing _ now?”

“No!” She replied quickly. “Yes? Maybe?” She stopped mid flight, thinking about the question. 

Upon realizing Persephone stopped moving, he stopped and flew back to her. “What’s the confusion? You two proclaimed your love after a beautiful night of love making. What’s the issue?”

“I... I just feel like we’re moving fast…” Persephone fidgeted with her hair. “He and Minthe just broke up.”

“After three days of a ‘relationship’,” Eros punctuated with air quotes, “and centuries of a toxic on-and-off again fling.”

“But with everything that has happened with Apollo...I don’t want to drag anyone else into my mess…I’m...we’re so broken.”

“Honey, broken people deserve love too.” He enveloped her in a big hug. “You two know how you feel about each other, and quite honestly time is an illusion. We’re immortal, remember?” He pulled back and wiped a tear that had escaped Persephone’s eyes.

“But...I don’t want to screw it up. I wanna do it right for my first relationship.”

“You’re going to screw up. I know that Demeter drilled it into you to be a perfectionist, but screw ups just come with the territory. We are gods and goddesses, but we still aren’t perfect. Plus, you have the god of love as your bestie. I got you.”

Persephone gave him a watery smile. “You’re right. I still have a lot to think about and process, but I guess it is possible for us to be together and...well, broken. I think I’m ready to start going to therapy.”

“I’m so glad to hear that!” Eros clapped in excitement. “Therapy will be so good for you, I know it.”

“That’s what I’ve heard,” Persephone replied before resuming her pace. “We need to hurry if we’re going to beat Apollo home.”

Eros quickly caught up. “You’re right. Oh, and Perse?”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve seen the way Hades looks at you and obviously I know how you feel about him. His love for you is true. You two really are great for each other.”

Persephone blushed, “I guess we are, aren’t we?”

The two continued in companionable silence as they neared their destination. Persephone was immediately relieved that she didn’t see the gaudy gold car in front of their building. Persephone alighted, the exhaustion from her flight weighing on her as soon as her feet touched the pavement. 

Eros reached for her arms and steadied her, “whoa there, I forgot you’re not used to flying yet. I’m sorry, I should’ve squeezed a break in.”

After gathering her footing, she began to walk quickly. She turned around to yell, “s’okay, no time.” 

“Perse, wait-”

Persephone, head still turned toward Eros, bumped into what felt like a solid wall.

“Persie, welcome home.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of rape/ assault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, Pork is the best beta ever!

Persephone stiffened at the hauntingly familiar voice, squeezing the lyre in her arms and praying that she wrapped it enough to cover it with her essence. “Apollo, what are you doing here?”

“I’ve been with my sister. She’s been a wreck, you know. Worried sick about you. I have been too,” he hooked a finger under her chin and tilted her head up, forcing her to make eye contact with his black, beady eyes.

“I’ve checked in with her, s-she knew where I was,” Persephone’s voice quivered. “She had no reason to be worried.”

“But what about me? I tried to check in on you, text you, no response. Last I saw, you were with Old Man Winter and then you vanished for a few days. So you tell me, Persie,” his grip on her chin tightened, “were you with him all this time?”

“With whom and where she spends her time is none of your business,” Eros’ voice rang out. Persephone had no idea when he had caught up to them, but she was grateful for his presence. 

“Stay out of this, Fluffy, this has nothing to do with you. She’s  _ my _ girl, aren’t you, Persie?”

Persephone’s eyes watered as he pinched her and she pulled away from him. “I’m not  _ anyone’s _ girl. You need to leave me alone!” She made a move to step around him.

He stepped to the same side, blocking her, “not yet, I want to talk to you, see how you’ve been.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. Leave me alone!” Her eyes grew red and she pushed him out of the way. Persephone tried to speed past him but Apollo caught her by the arm. His sclera yellowed as he squeezed, pain radiating to her shoulder. Persephone pulled away, wincing at the pain. In her fearful rage she didn’t notice her fingernails grow into claws.

“Apollo! Let go of her,  _ now _ !”

Apollo quickly released her at the sound of his twin’s voice. He looked away, not wanting to make eye contact with her.  _ Dammit. _

Upon being released, Persephone fell to the floor. She quickly got up and ran to her room, slamming the door shut. Eros pushed Apollo out of the way with his wings and ran past Artemis, quietly opening the door to Persephone’s room and walked in. Artemis winced at the sobbing that she heard in the brief time that the door was open. Eyes fuchsia with fury, she focused her anger back to its target. 

“Artemis, sis, look, it’s not what it looks like.”

“Please, illuminate me then,” Artemis’ voice reverberated with power, “because when I heard you all arguing and came to see the commotion, I  _ saw _ you squeezing her arm. I  _ saw _ your yellow eyes as you  _ kept _ squeezing after clearly seeing her in pain,” her wings sprouted out of her back.“So if it isn’t what it looks like,  _ dear brother of mine _ ” she gritted her teeth, “then you have 10 seconds to tell me what happened. 10…”

Apollo swallowed.  _ It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her this pissed. _

“nine...eight…”

_ Shitshitshit. I don’t know what to tell her. Just keep. It. Cool. _

“Seven...six…” Artemis began backing him out of the apartment. “Five...four…” a bow and arrow appeared in her hands. “Three...two…” she poised her bow and arrow, the arrow point two inches from his nose.

“S-ShestayedtheweekendwithHades!” Apollo blurted out.

Artemis paused, slightly lowering her arrow. “W-What?”

“She...she stayed the weekend at Hades’,” Apollo exhaled, relieved that she didn’t shoot.

“Now you’re lying to me? Get out!”

“But Artie,"

“I said  _ OUT _ !” She pushed him out and slammed the door. 

Artemis sighed, leaning back onto the door.  _ Perse is keeping things from me, Apollo is clearly lying, what the heck is going on? I can’t take this. _ She took a couple of deep breaths before poofing her wings and weapon away.  _ Nevermind that. It’s time for damage control.  _ Artemis dragged her feet toward Persephone’s room and her heart broke at the muffled sniffles she heard through the door. She lightly rapped on the door with her fingertips. “Perse, he’s gone...can I come in?”

After a moment of silence, the door opened, Eros’ towering pink frame letting her in. Artemis sat on the edge of Persephone’s bed and was at a loss. Her small frame was wrapped in her purple duvet so that only her face was peeking out. The mound that was Persephone shifted, periodically shuddering as her sobs started to ease.

“Perse...I’m...I’m sorry. I just don’t understand...why he handled you like that. What’s going on?” Artemis reached an arm out but thought better of it and placed it beside her.

Persephone and Eros looked at each other, having a secret conversation that Artemis wasn’t privy to. She felt her rage and impatience flare up at them but managed to temper it down as Persephone turned to her. The duvet fell below her shoulder as she shifted and Artemis felt her stomach lurch at the purple, finger shaped bruises forming. Opening her mouth to apologize again for her brother’s behavior, Persephone held up a hand to stop her.

“Artemis...I...He…” she paused to take a deep breath. Eros scooted beside her, placing an encouraging hand on her shoulder. “Apollo raped me.”

Artemis froze. Her mind flew through her memories, trying to find a moment when Apollo would’ve had the chance to be alone with Persephone, let alone assault her. She squinted, trying to concentrate but groaned in frustration when she came up short. “How-whe-I...I don’t understand…”

“I…” Persephone swallowed, “a couple of weeks ago.” Persephone felt her throat thicken and swallowed it down.  _ I  _ have _ to be able to tell my truth. _ “The first movie night we had after I moved in...I went to sleep early and later on he came in.”

“I...but…” her eyes grew large as the realization hit. “I left for work...I thought he was leaving out behind...I thought… Oh my gods,” Artemis’ sclera turned pink as her fury and sorrow meshed. “I failed you Perse. I’m so sorry.” Immediately she hopped onto the bed and embraced her. The dam broke and both Artemis and Persephone shook with sobs. 

Eros smiled grimly before standing, careful not to jostle them. He attempted to creep out of the door when Persephone spoke.

“Eros,” her voice was hoarse.

“Hmm?”

“T-thank you. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“Cinnamon, this was all you. I just gave you a gentle push,” he smiled before walking out.

Artemis released her, checking her phone. “Shit, it’s time for me to go to work. If you want though I can just stay here...the nymphs should be able to handle it for a night. I don’t want to leave you by yourself.”

“...No, no I think I’ll be fine.”

“Perse…”

“Artemis I’ll be fine. Go on.”

“Okay...At least call Eros to come back. I can make an exception this once… I just...I don’t know who my brother is anymore. I can’t trust him,” she fought against the tears that threatened to fall.

“...Okay,” Persephone acquiesced, “I’ll call him.”

“And if Apollo _ _ comes back, let me know. I’ll be here asap.”

Persephone smiled grimly, “Okay. Thank you.”

Artemis gave her a watery smile. She cleared her throat before speaking again, “and Perse?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m gonna kill Apollo.” She walked out, silently closing the door behind her.


	14. Chapter 14

Persephone was too shocked to respond, never having seen this side of her friend before_. She’s not really...maybe she’s not being literal…_ She sent a quick text to Eros asking him to come over. While waiting for his response, she remembered that she was supposed to text Hades. She scrambled around the bed looking for her phone and felt the relief of seeing no notifications or missed calls. She sent Hades a quick text.

_ Send to: Hades _

_ Hey Hades, I made it in, had an...unfortunate run-in with the shitty sun god but I’m okay. Told Artemis, everything’s okay for now. I asked Eros to stay the night just in case Apollo tries to come back. I’m exhausted though so I’m going to bed.  _

_ Good night, Love you. _

_ Sent: 20:19 _

Persephone agonized on how she should end the text, but decided to stick with it. Not wanting to lie to Artemis or Hades, she sent a text to Eros, requesting that he returned in case Apollo decided to try again. As she continued to think about the events of the last couple of days, she thought of the lyre. She pulled it out of its hiding place between her mattress and box spring and grabbed her gardening shears from the drawer in her nightstand.  _ Stupid bastard.  _ Snip.  _ He won't put his hands on me anymore.  _ Snip. She felt the strain in her eyes as her sclera reddened in her anger, but between the long flight and everything that happened after, exhaustion won out. She felt her phone vibrate and her heartbeat quickened in anticipation, but it was just Eros replying, assuring her that he would be back in 30 minutes. Her eyes grew heavy as she attempted to wait for Eros. She returned the lyre to its hiding spot and drifted off to sleep.

The next few days were uneventful as Persephone got back into her routine. As she was nearing the weekend, she felt hopeful about her first appointment with her therapist coming up.  _ I hope she’s nice. But straightforward. I honestly don’t know what to expect. Ugh I should’ve asked when I made the appointment. But I would’ve sounded so stupid. Uuuuuuugh. _ She tapped her pen against her desk in against until she heard an aggressive shush. 

“Sorry,” she squeaked as she returned her focus to her work. Her eyes balked at the amount of scrolls that had been piled onto her desk while in her reverie and she stood, almost knocking over the rolls of parchment. “Sugar Snaps!” She scrambled to catch the pile.

“Need a little help?” A red hand reached out to pick a scroll off the floor. 

Persephone’s face lit up at the sight of her old friend. “Hermes!” she exclaimed in a whisper, “I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.” She squeezed him into a hug.

Hermes flushed, not expecting Persephone’s reaction. “I’ve been here,” he returned the hug, “you’ve just been so...focused? Every time I wanted to stop by I was too afraid to disturb you. And  _ His Royal Highness _ has been on my butt so I haven’t had much time to socialize.”

“You haven’t been by our place lately either...has everything been okay?”

“Yeah, I mean, I’m good,” Hermes rubbed the back of his neck, “I guess Artemis has just been enforcing that ‘No Men’ policy hardcore now. Even Apollo can’t come in unless she’s home,” Persephone fought to maintain composure at the sound of his name, “It’s been pretty tense between them,” Hermes shrugged. “Whatever, siblings fight I guess. Hey, wanna go out for lunch?”

“I can’t,” Persephone noticed Hermes deflate, “already have plans, buttt...wanna leave together from work?”

Hermes beamed. “Sounds like a date-er,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “sounds good. See you then!” He clumsily replaced the dropped scroll onto the pile and sped out of the office.

_ Well that was weird. Thank gods he doesn’t ask too many questions.  _ Persephone sighed in relief. She grabbed the large pile of scrolls and organized them into their appropriate cubes. About an hour later she returned to her desk and growled at the larger pile that replaced the first one.  _ Sugar snaps! I’m never getting out of here. _ Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she struggled to hold the bundle in one arm as she reached into her pocket with the other. She smiled, seeing a message from Hades.

_ From: Hades _

_ Good Morning Sweetness, _

_ Care to go out for lunch? _

_ Received 11:42 _

Persephone groaned as she looked at the increasing pile of scrolls.  _ Unfortunately, I have to get this pile down. It’s literally never ending. _ Reluctantly, she told him that she would either have a late lunch or work through lunch and put the phone in her pocket. Immediately she speed walked to place the scrolls in their proper boxes when her pocket buzzed again.

_ From: Hades _

_ Well if you can’t come to me, how about I bring lunch to you? _

_ Received 11:55 _

Persephone blushed, conflicted on if she wanted to deal with the rumors of Hades bestowing all of this attention on her or if she just wanted to damn it all and have him come visit her. As much as she loved his affection, she didn’t want to be thought of as only getting by from special treatment. Sighing, she responded:

_ To: Hades _

_ You can’t come here, otherwise it’ll be special treatment. I’m sorry <3  _

_ Sent: 11:57 _

She put the ringer on silent and left her phone on her desk before continuing her work. An hour had passed before the pile finally started to dwindle, and Persephone took a break to check her phone. She saw that Hades had responded a while ago and hastily read the message

_ From: Hades _

_ Well I can’t have you not eat, that just won’t do. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it as discreetly as possible. _

_ Received: 12:02 _

Persephone checked the time on her phone and noticed that she only had a few hours at work left. She looked up and saw Hermes walking toward her office from the elevator, carrying plastic bags and large carryout containers. Persephone flew out to meet him, instantly offering assistance. He waved her off casually, “I’m fine. Do this for a living, remember? Compliments from the boss. Said that your productivity has been up so he wanted to treat you all to lunch. Pretty sure it’s Chinese food.”

Persephone smirked, realizing Hades’ “solution” to lunch. Her colleagues stopped what they were doing and ran to the empty cubicle that Hermes and Persephone were setting up lunch on. Amongst the smiles and excitement, she overheard the whispers and murmuring, “he’s never sent us lunch before” “not before  _ she _ came” “she’s been working her butt off, just enjoy the food” “I bet Hades liiiiiiikes her.” 

Persephone blushed as she heard the teasing remarks and quickly made her plate and returned to her seat. She tried to work as she was eating to distract herself from the murmuring but, after a couple hours, she realized that there were no more scrolls to put away. Frazzled, Persephone stood up and walked to the different shades, checking to see if there were any other scrolls that they may have forgotten to give her. Nothing. She sat at her desk and clicked on her computer, not wanting to be useless while on the clock. After spending 15 more minutes going through her emails, she pulled out her phone. Checking to make sure that no one was looking at her, she decided to send a message:

_ Send to: Hades _

_ Bored, not too much to do. Guess I worked faster than I thought. _

_ [image attached] _

_ Sent: 15:38 _

Hades was startled at feeling his pocket vibrate and pulled out his phone. Welcoming the brief interruption, he was elated to see that Persephone had sent a message. . When he opened the message, he immediately opened the picture she had attached, and was greeted with her perfect pink lips pursed together in a pout, her hand emphatically showing the emptiness of her desk. The way that she was leaning teased a little cleavage peeking above her white blouse, and small blue buds accented the pink halo braid crowning her head. 

Hades was smitten. 

He saved the photo but became perplexed as he thought of an appropriate response.  _ Should I send a picture back? No. Maybe. Maybe if it's a silly picture? That should be appropriate.  _ Hades sighed, not remembering the last time a picture got him this flustered.  _ But honestly it doesn't take much when it comes to her.  _ He facepalmed.

Hades checked that his office door was closed before holding his phone, attempting to find a better angle. He attempted to look bored, but constantly fought the urge to laugh. Honestly, he felt silly, playing like this.  _ It's been so long…oh get a grip old man, it's just a picture.  _ He shook his head clear of his thoughts and settled on a smirk with a hand motioning to all of the paperwork he still had to go through. He took a couple of pictures, selecting the one that had the best lighting. 

Send To: Little Goddess

Well, I'll trade you. 

[Image attached]

Sent: 15:45

Satisfied, Hades returned to his stack of paperwork, his blue pen annotating notes and spreadsheets from the last meeting. An hour had passed and he had barely made a dent when he heard a familiar light knock. "Come in, Hecate."

"Salutations," she greeted him before settling in on his sofa.

Hades groaned internally. "I have a lot to catch up on… can it wait?"

"I've been waiting all weekend," she cocked an eyebrow. "I need to know why you've asked me to dig up all this information, boss. What exactly are we dealing with here?"

"Like I said, Hecate, it's not up to me to tell."

Hecate noticed her friend's jaw clench and his eyebrows furrow, and her tone softened, "yeaah, before I get into the fiasco of whatever 'this weekend' was, I need to find out the legal stuff. Can you call Persephone in?"

Hades' eyes widened. "I don't know if that's the best idea."

"Then she can tell me herself. She's an adult," she held up a hand, silencing Hades protest while she continued, "and you know more than anyone that protecting her is my priority. I care about her too. I won't push for any more information than she is willing to give. I just need something to work with."

Hades sighed, trying to weigh the pros and cons of her coming here, having this conversation now.  _ If she comes back to my place so soon, it may raise eyebrows. She said she told Artemis… maybe this time it'll be better? But I can't stand to see her hurt again… reliving that may be traumatic. But it's her call to make… not mine.  _ Hades picked up his office phone and called to Persephone's desk.

"Hello?" Her cheery voice rang through the phone. 

Hades gave a grim smile. "Hello Ms. Persephone," he cleared his throat, "Hecate and I need to have a word with you. Would you be able to come to my office?"

Persephone swallowed, "um… now?"

Hades kicked himself internally for causing the worry in her voice. He stole a glance at Hecate who was politely eyeing one of the paintings in his office. "That would be preferred, unless you're busy."

Persephone looked at her empty desk. Just a few minutes ago she was praying for some sort of interruption.  _ Not quite what I meant.  _

"Hello, Persephone?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. No, I'm not busy, I'll be up right away."

"Okay, see you soon."

Hades eyed one of his cigars, fighting the desire to smoke one. 

"At least wait until after she leaves," Hecate teased, trying to ease the tension.

Hades fidgeted with a strip of paper, anticipating yet dreading Persephone coming to his office.  _ This is the first time I'm not eager to see her… at least I'm here to support her.  _

A gentle knock brought him out of his reverie. 

"Come in."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it has been so long! The holidays demanded a lot out of me, but I am back! As always, porky you da best beta. Kudos, comments, and feedback are always appreciated.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it's been so long! Classes were extremely demanding so I didn't have the time or energy to write, but I'm on summer break so I'm back! Warning for allusion to sexual assault, but there are no explicit details. As always, I'm open to feedback, kudos, and commentary.

Persephone stepped into the office, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her blouse. She looked at the floor, nervous as she thought about what the topic of discussion would be. She cleared her throat. "Y-you two wanted to speak with me?"

Hecate stood up, giving her a warm smile. "Persephone, it's so good to see you! Please, have a seat," she gestured to the sofa. "Would you like some tea?"

"Um, yes please. Chamomile if you have it?"

"Of course!" Hecate walked across the office to the hot water filter to prep the tea. 

"Can I also have a-" Hades was cut off by Hecate's glare. "Um, well, never mind."

Hecate steeped a tea bag in the mug and placed it on the end table next to Persephone. "I imagine you probably have an idea as to why we've called you in?"

"Um," she eyed Hades, "maybe?"

"Well, just to inform you, over this past weekend your boss called me, asking me to look up laws regarding how the individual realms manage punishment, more specifically acts of vengeance. When I asked about more details to better target my search, he told me that it wasn't his story to tell, but yours," she placed a hand on Persephone's trembling hands. "Now, I will not push you further than you're willing to go as far as stories, but I will say that I will be best able to help with some more context."

_ Oh Gods.  _ Persephone gnawed on her lower lip.  _ Oh Gods.  _ "Do we...do we have to do it here?" Her voice meek, Persephone trembling from the effort of keeping it together. 

Hecate hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Ideally, it would be the safest. No one would be suspicious of you staying longer to cover more work. You also wouldn't have to lie about where you've been," she added, side- eying Hades. 

"I...I understand." Persephone hung her head.

"But," Hecate continued, "if you would be more comfortable discussing this somewhere else, then perhaps we can go to my place. That may be even safer actually, since Demeter is familiar with me. It won't be suspicious to her that you came to see me."

Persephone perked up, grateful for the reprieve. "That sounds a lot better, actually." 

"Excellent," Hades agreed. "Sw-er-Persephone, would you like to ride with me?"

Hecate raised an eyebrow. "That's too obvious," she rolled her eyes at their bewildered expressions. "Seriously? You think no one else knows about whatever  _ this _ ," she gestured wildly between the two of them, "is? You two are almost as bad as teenagers."

Persephone and Hades’ eyes widened, their mouths dropping in an identical “o.” Their necks darkened with a furious blush and both made it a point to look away from each other. Hecate smirked, satisfied with the slight embarrassment she caused them. “Persephone, we’re leaving together. Hades, you can drive there.”

Hecate stood from the sofa and Persephone followed. Persephone jumped, suddenly remembering that she was supposed to be hanging out with Hermes. Hades and Hecate eyed her curiously.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I just…” she dug into her purse, “need to cancel a thing I had after work.” She sent a short text and dropped the phone back in her purse.”  _ I’m sorry, Hermes _ . She felt guilty bailing on her friend after not seeing him in so long.

“Great. If there’s nothing else, we’ll be going. See you in a bit, Hades.’’ 

Hades’ mind was in a whirlwind.  _ So much for having any control.  _ He rolled his eyes.  _ At least we’re going somewhere more private...then there won’t be anybody questioning if…if things go awry.  _ Absentmindedly, he picked up his navy double- breasted peacoat and put on his black leather driving gloves. It was the first time in a long while that he left the office before nighttime. He made sure to leave a note on his door that he was out of the office for the rest of the day, and to leave all important memos to Thanatos.  _ Ha.  _ He chuckled out loud.  _ I’m sure he’ll love the extra responsibility. _ He left his office, making sure to lock the door before heading to the parking garage. 

Persephone followed Hecate, shoulders hunched and fingers fidgeting with her purse strap. Though she had visited Hades’ office often enough, she realized that she had never seen Hecate’s. She imagined that it would be neat and orderly since Hecate always seemed to know the goings- on of the company. When Hecate opened the door, Persephone was instantly greeted with the smell of sage. 

Hecate noticed Persephone’s nose wrinkle at the scent. “Sorry, I know it’s pretty strong. But if you came in contact with the people I have to in this place, you’d have it too.”

“I...I can imagine.” She thought back to her first interaction with Minthe and Thanatos when she first started at Underworld Corp. She frowned at the memories, annoyed that not very much had changed since then. 

Hecate smiled at Persephone’s pout. “Oh yes, you’ve had a run-in with our finest,” she quipped. 

“Heh, yeah.”  _ More than you know.  _

“Okay, so today I took a portal to work.” Hecate noted Persephone’s raised eyebrows. “What? I was running late!” 

“No, not...you have a portal?”

“Oh. Well, yeah,” Hecate waved it off casually. “I can summon portals when I have the ingredients brewed. Pain in the ass though so I don’t do it too often. It’ll just take a couple of minutes to prepare, then boom, we’ll be right in my living room.”

“O-Okay,” Persephone took the time to glance at her surroundings. As predicted, Hecate’s desk was pristine. Every folder was filed in its place. The walls were trademark Underworld blue with black accents. There were a few empty vials and glass beakers, one with a used teabag. Her desktop computer was central, her keyboard tucked in a shelf space below her monitor. She had a black cabinet next to her desk that had small figurines on it. Of what, Persephone couldn’t find out. Otherwise her office was very minimal.

“Okay Persephone,” Hecate interrupted her thoughts, “the portal will pop up in a second. You grab my arm and we’ll walk through together.”

Persephone nodded and grabbed Hecate’s arm, a bit excited for the experience. A second later, the portal appeared. It wasn’t much taller than Hecate, and there was a blue glow to it. The entryway itself looked opaque and iridescent with powder blue, purple and pink. 

“Here goes,” Hecate warned.

They both stepped into the portal. Persephone felt as if she was falling, and tightened her grip on Hecate who was somehow able to stay upright. The magic of the portal was all around them; Persephone had no idea how Hecate was able to manage her bearings. An opening appeared below them, and Persephone noted Hecate bracing herself, so she did the same. She spread her legs shoulder width apart just in time for the solid black carpet to hit the soles of her shoes.

“We’re here!” Hecate announced. “Congratulations, Persephone, you’ve had your first portal ride. Not many gods can say the same.”

“That was...interesting,” Persephone fought against the slight dizziness from the sudden landing.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I forgot to warn you about the nausea. It’s been so long since I’ve had someone accompany me.” Hecate quickly walked into the direction that Persephone assumed was her bathroom. She heard a brief rattling of glasses knocking into each other before Hecate returned, handing Persephone a glass bottle with a green liquid. “This is for nausea.”

Persephone eyed it dubiously and reached for it. When she removed the cork from the bottle, the smell of ginger assaulted her nose, making her cough. Her nose wrinkled, but she took a deep breath before chugging it down. She frowned at the aftertaste, but immediately felt her head clear.

Hecate’s eyebrows rose in response. “You know, you didn’t  _ have _ to chug it, but I can appreciate your moxie.” She motioned to the black suede sofa behind them. “Please, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable.”

Persephone sat down, her back ramrod straight, hands folded in her lap like the perfect little student. She set her purse right beside her, not wanting to take up too much space.

Hecate chuckled, shaking her head. “Persephone, I said make yourself  _ comfortable _ . You’re not in trouble and we’re not at work anymore. You can relax. Would you like anything to drink?”

Persephone’s back relaxed a little, her hands laying at her sides. “Some more tea would be great actually.”

“Got it, would you like something to help with your nerves?” Hecate’s eyes softened as she noticed Persephone trembling slightly.  _ Poor girl probably doesn’t realize she’s doing it. _

“Um...yes please,” Persephone squeaked. Her hair was slowly growing out of the halo braid, causing it to collapse. Frustrated, she waited until Hecate left the living room before removing the pins from her hair and letting it grow freely.  _ It probably is a good idea that we came here. I’m a wreck. _

Hecate fumbled around her kitchen for her calming tonic. She found the large crystal decanter and twisted off the square top, the aroma of spice already soothing her. She carefully poured a shot of it into the steeping tea, stirring it until the smell diluted, balancing perfectly with the herbs of the tea. Satisfied, Hecate capped the decanter and returned it to the cabinet, making a mental note to get the ingredients to brew more. She strode into the living room, feeling a twinge of pressure in her aura alerting her to Hades’ presence on her property. “Perfect, Hades is here,” she announced after giving Persephone her tea. “I advise you to sip slowly. Too much too quickly will make you fall asleep for a few hours,” she warned her as she went to open the door. 

“Salutations, Hecate,” Hades walked through the door without hesitation, eyes only for his Little Goddess.

“Hello Hades,” Hecate sarcastically responded to his back as he raced to sit beside Persephone. She rolled her eyes before closing the door and walking over to them. With a snap of her fingers she summoned her loveseat across from them and took her seat. “So, as I mentioned before, everyone pretty much knows that you two have something going on. You’re trying  _ too _ hard to hide it.That’s not why we’re here, but I figured you two ought to know.” She turned to Persephone and noticed that her trembling had ceased, “are you feeling better?”

Persephone nodded. She noticed that her hair had stopped growing and felt more comfortable relaxing into the sofa. “Thank you, Hecate. It was exactly what I needed.”

Hecate smiled, “great. I’m glad.” She turned her attention to Hades, “would you like to initiate this, or should I continue?”

Hades nodded before taking Persephone’s petite pink hands into his own. She turned toward him, giving him her undivided attention.

“Persephone,” he started, “you can trust Hecate as much as you can trust Eros and me. She’s my oldest and dearest friend, and she is on your side. I know it’s hard for you, and I hate that you have to relive this over again, but I’m here with you. You only have to tell as much as you're comfortable with.” 

Persephone nodded and turned toward Hecate, taking a deep breath. She sipped some of her tea before beginning, “Okay…”

Two refills of tea and calming tonic later, Hecate was fuming. She thought about the sweet girl that had helped Demeter in hosting her while she was visiting, and her yellow eyes glowed at the thought of what she would do once Apollo was in her clutches. At the sound of Hades’ throat clearing, Hecate focused on Persephone and she softened, “Persephone...I’m  _ so _ sorry that happened to you. As long as we are around, it won’t happen again. Have you told anyone besides us?”

Persephone sighed, glad to be done with the hardest part, “Well, as Hades mentioned, I told Eros soon after it happened. I just told Artemis about it a few days ago...she actually took it much better than I expected considering it's her brother. She refuses to have him around without her being there, and he’s blocked on my phone so he’s unable to contact me. I’m just worried about...the photos…”   
  
“Photos?” Hecate interrupted, “He took photos?”

“Y-yeah...Right after…”

Hecate’s face transformed into a cheshire grin. “His arrogance will become his downfall. If you decide to take this to trial, we should be able to take him down with those photos.”

Persephone grimaced at the thought of the pictures becoming public. “I just...I don’t want anyone to see them.”

“We can request a private trial,” Hades’ baritone voice reassured her. “Due to the nature of the case, I’m sure everyone involved would agree that a private trial is best.”

“Okay,” Persephone exhaled a sharp breath, “how do we do this?”


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades, Persephone, and Hecate begin to plan. There's no explicit mention of the incident, but I'll put a TW for allusion to it anyways just in case.

“Well, the easiest way to go about this is to get evidence,” Hecate started. “Luckily he relies on his reputation more than his brains. If you can get a hold of those pictures before he chooses to disburse them, then you can better control the narrative.” Persephone nodded, taking another sip of her tea. “Even Zeus would have to admit what’s happening. Do you think Artemis would be able to help?”

“I…” Persephone fidgeted with her fingertips, “I don’t think I could ask her to do that...that’s her twin brother. It was hard enough just telling her what happened.”

“Understood,” Hecate responded, calculating and business-like. “Do you-”

“I have his lyre!” Persephone interjected, clearing her throat immediately after. 

Hecate’s yellow eyes glowed. “Do you now? The stakes just got higher,” she grinned. “If we don’t pull this off right we’ll be in a lot of trouble, but oh it would be so glorious if we could pull this off. Persephone, did you have any plans with the lyre?”

“Well,” Persephone’s eyes reddened thinking about it, “I was initially thinking of cutting a string for each time that he annoyed or upset me. I think I’ve gotten two strings down now. Once all the strings are cut, I’d wipe it off of my prints and leave it at his front door,” Persephone smiled, proud of this plan.

“Well, how would you like to evolve that plan?” Hecate smiled, her aura becoming more menacing by the second.

“What did you have in mind?” Hades inquired.

“One thing that he will desire more than anything is control. Take that away from him, he’ll sit with his tail between his legs. Make him lose it in an embarrassing way and it’s the perfect crime. He can even know that you did it to him, but he would be too embarrassed and proud to tell anyone. How does that sound?” Hecate attempted to keep her voice level, but Persephone could sense the eagerness seeping from her being.

Persephone glanced at Hades and noticed that his eyes were scarlet, sure that the gears in his mind were turning. She lightly squeezed his hand and he quickly snapped out of it. “You know I’ll support you either way, Sweetness.”

“O-Okay. I’m down.”

Immediately Hades and Hecate got to talking. Persephone zoned out, not paying attention to what they were saying. As she thought about telling her story and finally,  _ finally _ having a course of action, she felt a heavy weight lift from her chest.  _ I...I can be free _ . She smiled to herself.  _ I can get retribution. _ Her eyes watered, finally feeling like she was gaining some control over her life.

“Persephone?” Hades' voice softened. “Are you alright?”

Persephone smiled, tears running down her cheeks, “I’ll finally be free.” She kept repeating, hugging herself, “I’ll be free.”

Hades and Hecate grabbed Persephone into a hug as her body racked with sobs. “Yes, Persephone,” Hecate stroked her hair, “we will make sure of it.”

Hades joined in, “we won’t rest until you’re free.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This and the next chapter will be a bit shorter, but I still think they're important to have. As always, any feedback, comment, and kudos are greatly appreciated!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades and Hecate have a talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week I'll be out of town so the next chapter probably won't be listed until the week after. As always, kudos, comments and feedback are greatly appreciated

After a minute, Hades had noticed that Persephone’s breathing had slowed, becoming more even. He looked down and saw her dozing. “Maybe I-”

“She can stay here tonight,” Hecate whispered. “She’s had a long few days, poor girl. She probably needs some time off.”

“Of course, but she won’t hear it from me.” Hades gingerly laid Persephone down on the sofa and lifted her feet onto the couch. Hecate whispered a short chant and the sofa slowly transformed into a full sized bed. She pulled the covers over Persephone and laid her purse on the end table. 

Hecate walked toward her front door and Hades followed. They carefully opened and exited, enjoying the brisk, cool air of the underworld. 

“When will you make it official?” Hecate cocked an eyebrow at her friend.

“I-She-” Hades took a breath. “She thinks we may be moving things a bit fast, especially since-”

“-you and Minthe broke up.”

Hades nodded.

“By the way, would you care to explain to me why Minthe came to my door begging me to ask you to call her? She looked shaken,” Hecate held back a smirk.

“Let’s just say...Minthe caught a glimpse of Kore’s powers, and would be loath to test her again.” Hades looked up into the sky, reminiscing on Persephone’s display of power. 

“That brings up another topic.” Hecate’s curt tone interrupted Hades’ thoughts. “How long was she there?”

“Um,” Hades avoided eye contact. “About 2 nights.”

“Uh huh. And did you respect her consent?”

“Of course, what do you-”

“So you slept with her.” Hecate pinched the bridge of her nose. “Really, Hades?”

“Look,” Hades bristled, “yes. We made love. I took care of her and made sure that she felt at home. I...I gave her the best of myself, and even though I’ll never think it's good enough, she has chosen to accept it, and even reciprocate. Even with that, I would  _ never _ take advantage of her. I’m hers as long as she’ll have me.”

Hecate studied her old friend for a moment. His hair was a bit askew, and his expression showed pure determination. It had been a while since she had heard him be so passionate over something- er- someone that wasn’t work-related. Her heart warmed and she grinned. “You’re in love with her.”

“I...I am.” Hades stuck his chin out defiantly.

Hecate chuckled at his stance. “Whoa there, I pose no threat,” she held her hands up. “I just hope you’re ready. Between the Goddesses of Eternal Maidenhood and Demeter, you will have your work cut out for you. I’ll be there for you both as much as I can.” Hades showed shock at her sincerity. “You should close your mouth, a bug might fly in.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you be so sincere, I’m a bit taken aback.”

Hecate started walking toward Hades’ car, Hades walking beside her. “Well, I wouldn’t get too used to it,” she smirked. Hades opened the car door and sat in the driver’s seat. “For the record, it’s clear that she feels the same way about you, even with all this going on. But be careful, you both are in emotionally vulnerable states. Yes, even you,” she acknowledged his pointed glare. “Take your time, enjoy each other. You have all the time in the world. I’m serious, Hades”

Hades closed the door and rolled down the window, sticking his key in the ignition. “I know, I hear you. If there’s anyone whose advice I trust, it’s yours. Thank you, Hecate.” The engine turned and Hades pulled off, seeing Hecate wave in his rearview mirror.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Artemis and Persephone have a much needed talk.

The next morning, Persephone woke up on Hecate’s couch feeling very disoriented, but the light feeling that she had gone to sleep with hadn’t diminished.  _ I know I have a long road ahead, but it feels good just to take a step. _ On the end table next to her purse, she found a handwritten note in Hecate’s familiar script.

_ Make yourself at home and refresh as you need. I have already ins tructed Hermes to let Artemis know that you were staying with me for a work related project. You’re on a paid one week vacation, and it isn’t up for debate. Call if you need me. _

_ -H _

Persephone sighed, not knowing what to do now that she had a relatively open schedule. Not wanting to overstay her welcome despite Hecate’s note, she stood up and wandered down the hall to find the bathroom. Around the sink she found an individually packaged toothbrush and Persephone let out a small laugh.  _ Of course she did. _ After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she grabbed her purse and walked to the front door. She hesitated, not sure if she was ready to break the little bubble of safety that she had in Hecate’s home, but she took a deep breath and centered herself before walking out.

Persephone was surprised to come home to an empty house. She figured that Artemis would be asleep but she didn’t see her boots near the door. “Artemis? You here?”

Confused, Persephone grabbed her phone out of her purse. She powered it on and was...surprised to see no missed calls.  _ I wonder if she’s giving me some space. _ A chill shivered down Persephone’s spine and her heart raced as she thought about the lyre. She quickly kicked her shoes off and ran to her room, closing the door. After checking her bedroom closet and looking outside her bedroom window, she knelt beside her bed and reached underneath. When she felt the pile of vines and the faint shimmer of power underneath, her heart slowed to a normal pace and she felt the tension leave her body.  _ Thank Gaia. I don’t expect Artemis to go into my room but...still. I need to be very careful.  _

She pulled the lyre out and unwrapped it, feeling the hum reverberate in her fingers. However, she felt a small difference in the strength that it exuded. She smiled, grabbing her small shears, and lined it up to the strings. Slowly she closed her fingers, reveling in each string that popped. Five strings were cut, and she instantly felt the power decrease in the lyre. Satisfied, she rewrapped the lyre into the vines and hid it back under the bed. 

Persephone changed into her pajamas, taking the opportunity to relax on the couch, something she hadn’t done in a long while. She flipped through channels mindlessly, but still felt a bit antsy. She hopped up and sped walked to the kitchen, searching the cabinets for any signs of flour, sugar, and baking powder. She searched the fridge in order to find eggs, and just so happened to find the last four eggs.  _ I guess I’ll go grocery shopping this time. _ She preheated the oven and began absentmindedly measuring and mixing her ingredients.

With the cake in the oven, Persephone sat and allowed her mind to wander. The sound of keys in the door broke her out of her thoughts. The door opened and in walked a very exhausted looking Artemis hoisting grocery bags.

“Oh, let me help!” Persephone rushed over and grabbed some of the bags, placing them on the counter. “I was wondering what had happened to you, I was surprised you weren’t here when I got home this morning.”

Artemis sighed, “yeah well as you’ve probably found out, we’re a bit lacking in groceries so I figured I’d get some before you got home.”

“But you look...well, you look exhausted. Everything okay?”

“Yes!” Artemis paused. “I mean, yes, everything went fine,” she smiled too brightly. 

_ Well, I don’t want to press her. “ _ Well, alright.” The oven timer went off. “I have a cake in the oven if you want some.”

Artemis quirked an eyebrow, “for breakfast?”

“Hey, we’re adults...we can eat what we want,” Persephone gave a glib smile. “You don’t have to-”

“- oh you’re right. Cake for breakfast isn’t the worst thing in the world.”

The pair put the groceries away and sat down as they waited for the cake to cool. They both sat down at the kitchen counter with an awkward silence. “So...what have you been up to?”

Persephone straightened up and cocked her head to the side. “Nothing really, just...well, just classes and work. I’ve been trying to keep myself busy, you know?”

“Yeah, I can understand that. Things have been the same here. You know the next GOEM meeting is next Saturday, right? Supposed to be a  _ brunch,” _ Artemis mimed a finger down her throat and gagging. “It’s so...pretentious.”

Persephone guffawed, “right? I mean… Hestia is...well…”

“A frigid ice queen!” Artemis interjected. “For her to be ‘goddess of the hearth,’” she punctuated with air quotes, “she sure does act cold.’”

Persephone rolled her eyes. “Yeah, if it isn’t ‘ _ for the Good of TGOEM’ _ then it isn’t important. I don’t know why she puts on such an act.”

“You know, she wasn’t always that way.” Artemis got up to cut a slice of cake, “she wasn’t necessarily warm and cuddly, but she wasn’t like she is now. I don’t really know what happened.”

“Well, to be honest, living in Olympus could do that to you,” Persephone began fidgeting with her fingers.

Artemis sunk, “Persephone, about that, I’m so-”

“Ah,” Persephone held up her hands, interrupting her, “ _ you  _ don’t have to apologize for anything. You didn’t do it.”

“Yeah, but I’ve been sucking with enforcing the rules, I-”

“He’s your brother. And Hermes. Most people wouldn’t imagine their relatives doing something so…”

“...yeah.” Artemis began toying with a strand of her hair. “Either way, I’m definitely enforcing it now. No men allowed at all.” 

Persephone looked up at her friend, truly studied her for the first time in days. Her eyes had a hint of fuchsia, and her chest was puffed up as Artemis made the declaration. “I know. I believe you,” Persephone encouraged her friend as she smiled.

Artemis’ eyes watered. “And I believe you too. I got your back through this, girl. Forever and always,” she held out her pinky.

Persephone beamed, her own eyes glossy, and grabbed Artemis’ pinky with her own. “Forever and always.”


	19. Official-ticial Hiatus

Hi All,

As I'm sure you all have guessed, "Open" is on hiatus. Officially.

I have written and rewritten the next chapter multiple times, but wasn't pleased with it, and COVID, stressors from what's been happening in the Spring and summer regarding racial injustice, and school starting, I haven't been able to put myself into it.   
  
I go on winter break starting November 30th, so I'm planning (hopefully) to have more content uploaded during the month of break that I have. For all those that have been asking, I finally have an answer for you lol. I'm SO sorry it's taken me so long to put a notice out, I've only done it because I kept thinking that I'd have something ready. I appreciate the love that this series has received so far, and I promise that there will be a conclusion with everything tied up.   
  
Thank you so much for your patience.

I'll see you soon.


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